Population and the Census
Session Description
In this session, we will talk about how planners measure basic dimensions of population and change in population at the neighborhood level. We’ll also discuss some of the basic principles and features of the main Census products which planners use to describe places and the people who live and work in them. We’ll introduce this week’s lab, which focuses on working with basic data on population characteristics.
Before Class
Read our lab background and bring any questions to today’s class. We will work on the lab during our class time on Wednesday.
Reflect
What types of characteristics might be well-represented within Census data? What characteristics are harder to measure or represent?
As we’ve discussed in class, the census is a dynamic and evolving survey, and the questions we ask are a valuable window into the social questions and issues at a given time. What questions do you think we should be asking in this current moment? How well are they reflected in the census (as you know it)?
Slides
Resources for Further Exploration
2020 Census Post Enumeration Survey Documentation