Each month the Census Counts team compiles Census-related news from a wide swath of national and regional media outlets to keep data equity stakeholders informed and engaged.
As always, you can find earlier clips here.
September 30, 2024 Census Coalition Clips
National
Pew Research | News U.S. immigrant population in 2023 saw largest increase in more than 20 years
The number of immigrants living in the United States increased by roughly 1.6 million people in 2023. That marks the largest single-year increase in the nation’s immigrant population since 2000, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of recently published data from the U.S. Census Bureau. While the number of immigrants in the U.S. reached a new record high last year, their share of the population remained below the all-time peak. Immigrants accounted for 14.3% of the total U.S. population in 2023 – up roughly threefold from 4.7% in 1970, but still below the record high of 14.8% in 1890.
John Gramlich and Jeffery S. Passel | September 27, 2024
Axios | News America’s loneliest states
Nearly half of Americans reported feeling lonely at least sometimes in the latest vibe check from the U.S. Census Bureau. Why it matters: Feelings of isolation and loneliness are a real public health threat — so much so that Surgeon General Vivek Murthy last year issued an advisory on the matter. Driving the news: In the newest Household Pulse Survey (HPS), 40.3% of American adults said they experienced feelings of loneliness at least sometimes.
Alex Fitzpatrick | September 27, 2024
States
California
Scott Wiener | Press Release Governor Newsom Signs Senator Wiener’s Bill To Tackle LGBTQ Health Disparities
Governor Newsom signed Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) Senate Bill 957. SB 957 requires state health agencies to collect sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data alongside other demographic information in order to identify and combat health disparities. By measuring the unique health needs of the LGBTQ community, SB 957 helps public health officials reduce health disparities facing the LGBTQ community.
Office of State Rep. Scott Wiener | September 28, 2024
New Mexico
Alamogordo Daily News | News New census data show significant drop in NM’s child poverty
A new federal report shows anti-poverty policies enacted by New Mexico are making a big difference. This month, the U.S. Census Bureau has released a supplemental report measuring poverty at the state level for the first time. Emily Wildau, senior research and policy analyst at New Mexico Voices for Children, said the report still ranks the state last in the nation, at 28% under the Official Poverty Measure but when newly enacted state programs are taken into account, poverty decreased dramatically from 2021 to 2023.
Roz Brown | September 27, 2024
Blog Posts and Reports
The Leadership Conference | Blog Post The Ascending Latino Community and Attempts to Silence Our Voice
Latino communities in the United States continue to grow in size, economic influence, and political clout. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Latinos make up nearly 19.5 percent of the population, and by 2060 one in four Americans is projected to be Latino. As the nation’s second largest population group in the country, Latinos are not just reshaping the cultural landscape — they are also asserting their presence in the economic and political arenas. Yet despite their growing influence, attempts to undermine the voice of the Latino community are intensifying. This is evidenced by continued efforts to suppress the vote of this community at the ballot box, which is exacerbated by the historic and severe undercount of Hispanics in the 2020 Census.
Esteban Camarena | September 27, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Press Release ACS, 5-Year State-to-County Migration Flows 2018-2022
The U.S. Census Bureau today released new 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS), 5-year state-to-county migration flows. Migration refers to the movement of people from one location to another. The state-to-county migration flows highlight the number of people who moved into specific counties from U.S. states and state equivalents, U.S. Island Areas, and foreign regions.
Lewis Liu | September 26, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Press Release Census Bureau Releases Race and Ancestry Research Data
The U.S. Census Bureau today released new tables on race and ancestry using 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year data. The data included in these tables are for demonstration purposes and are not official Census Bureau estimates. The release of these tables reflects the Census Bureau’s continued commitment to transparency and ongoing efforts to research similarities between data collected from the ACS race and ancestry questions. These tables were produced in response to stakeholder input about the need to understand who is reporting detailed responses to the race question. They inform the public about the similarities and differences between race and ancestry estimates. They also help data users analyze the characteristics of those reporting specific detailed races and ancestries, which will inform future recommendations about the possible removal of the ancestry question.
Public Information Office | September 26, 2024
As always, you can find earlier clips here.
September 23, 2024 Census Coalition Clips
National
Harvard Political Review | News Are You Really Latino? Exploring the New 2030 Census
Latinidad refers to the shared cultural identity and heritage that connects people of Latin American descent. It encompasses a rich blend of traditions, languages, histories, and experiences that define what it means to be Latino. The most important thing to understand about Latinidad is that it doesn’t condense those similarities into any single defining characteristic, but rather celebrates the diversity of distinct Latino experiences. But this isn’t always recognized. This prevalent American view of Latino as solely a racial construct has created a challenging dynamic between my ethnic and racial identity.
Caleb Graupera | September 21, 2024
MSNBC | News ‘This is going to hurt you’: Inside Project 2025’s politicization of the Census
Project 2025’s section on the census bureau spells out a detailed plan to politicize the statistical agency. The Heritage Foundation’s plan for the next conservative administration proposes adding a citizenship question in the 2030 census, which Trump attempted (and failed) to implement during his presidency. The citizenship question, along with a series of other proposals will likely lead to significant undercounts of already vulnerable populations, leading to unequitable congressional representation and inequitable allocation of federal funds. What happens when communities are undercounted in the census? “That means food stamps, that means Medicaid dollars, that means mental health care dollars were less,” to states and cities that had census undercounts, said Maya Wiley, President & CEO, Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights.
Ali Velshi | September 21, 2024
DevDiscourse | News Empowering Older Populations: The Role of Age-Disaggregated Data in Achieving SDGs
A WHO report highlights the need for better data collection and age-disaggregation to ensure the visibility of older persons in global policy-making under the Sustainable Development Goals. Addressing gaps in data will help monitor their well-being and promote more inclusive policy decisions. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, endorsed by all United Nations Member States, includes 17 SDGs aimed at reducing global inequalities. However, the specific needs of older people, who will account for one in six individuals worldwide by 2030, have often been overlooked in data collection frameworks. This growing demographic, marked by diversity in age, health, income, and other factors, must be properly represented in both global and national policy-making processes.
CoE-EDP, VisionRI | September 19, 2024
The Federalist | News Census Data Shows Americans Haven’t Gotten A Pay Raise Since Trump Was President
The annual census reports on poverty, income, and health insurance coverage show how Americans’ progress has stagnated over the past four years. It explains why families consider the economy, and the nation, to be in such poor shape. On a superficial level, the census income numbers do provide some good news. In 2023, real median household income — that is, the income of the family at the absolute middle (the 50th percentile) of the income distribution, as adjusted for inflation — had its first statistically significant income increase in four years. But dig deeper into the census data tables, specifically Table A-2 of the income report, and the problem becomes clearer. Inflation-adjusted household income in 2023 remained marginally below the 2019 pre-pandemic levels. That means Americans have missed out on four years of pay raises, to the tune of thousands of dollars.
Christopher Jacobs | September 19, 2024
States
Michigan
My Newberry News | News Census work sparks fast-moving rumors
When a U.S. Census Bureau worker was on the ground in Curtis recently, word of what he may be doing spread like wildfire. Some people became convinced the Census worker was there to scope out vacant housing for 1,000 illegal immigrants that will soon be bussed to Curtis. The Curtis and Newberry area has been named a sanctuary for illegal immigrants, the rumor persists. The immigrants will soon take over our vacant housing, churches, and hotels, and will overwhelm our modest resources. This rumor went viral on Facebook, getting shared more than 80 times to date. That isn’t what’s happening, Census representatives said.
Carol Stiffler | September 21, 2024
Blog Posts and Reports
Journal of Perinatology | Journal Article The “Other” race category on birth certificates and its impact on analyses of preterm birth inequity
Not all individuals self-identify with race categories on birth certificates, selecting “Other” and writing in identities. Our hypothesis was that curating write-in responses in the “Other” race category would contribute to understanding preterm birth inequities. Utilizing combinations of self-identified race, ethnicity, and continental origin may facilitate public health efforts focused on birth outcome equity.
Kayla R. Holloway, Joshua Radack, Alejandra Barreto, Barbara H. Chaiyachati, Diana Montoya-Williams, Angela M. Ellison & Heather H. Burris | September 20, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Press Release Census Bureau Releases Final 2020 Census Data Product
The U.S. Census Bureau today released the Supplemental Demographic and Housing Characteristics File (S-DHC). The S-DHC — the final 2020 Census data product to be released — combines the characteristics of households and the people living in them. The data are available for the nation, the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. These tables supplement the data about households and people released in the Demographic and Housing Characteristics File (DHC) in May 2023. The S-DHC provides average household size and counts of people living in certain types of households.
Stacy Gimbel Vidal | September 19, 2024
The Leadership Conference | Blog Project 2025 and the Census: Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future
By now, information about Project 2025 and its playbook of revanchist policies is well known to many. The Leadership Conference has analyzed what’s at stake for civil rights and how it would affect many issues that matter to civil rights advocates and stewards of democracy, including plans for the U.S. Census Bureau. Alarmingly, Project 2025 would harm the integrity of the decennial census and other federal data collection efforts. Its proposals would politicize and weaponize federal data collection by blocking the government from collecting data that the authors think might bolster liberal causes, while establishing intrusive new data collection in other areas to achieve partisan goals.
Meeta Anand | September 18, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Press Release Census Bureau Announces Transition to New Longitudinal Design for Household Pulse Survey
The U.S. Census Bureau today announced Phase 4.2 will be the final phase of the Household Pulse Survey (HPS) using current methodology. Plans are to transition the HPS to a new longitudinal design. Beginning in October, HPS will transition to a longitudinal design that will continue to address the need for timely data and ensure long-term sustainability. In January 2025, HPS will be relaunched as the Household Trends and Outlook Pulse Survey (HTOPS), utilizing a panel design comparable to surveys like the Survey of Income and Program Participation. This design will be more efficient, less burdensome and provide longitudinal measures that the current HPS does not. In addition to continuing the tradition of the HPS in meeting emergent data needs in near real-time, the HTOPS will provide a platform for conducting research in support of the Decennial Census such as the Census Barriers, Attitudes and Motivators Survey (CBAMS) as well as household survey programs.
Julie Iriondo | September 16, 2024
As always, you can find earlier clips here.
September 16, 2024 Census Coalition Clips
National
AP News | News Share of foreign-born people in the US is at its highest rate in over a century, survey says
The percentage of U.S. residents who were foreign-born last year grew to its highest level in more than a century, according to figures released Thursday from the most comprehensive survey of American life. The share of people born outside the United States increased in 2023 to 14.3% from 13.9% in 2022, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey, which tracks commuting times, internet access, family life, income, education levels, disabilities, military service, and employment, among other topics. The rate of the foreign-born population in the United States hasn’t been this high since 1910, when it was 14.7%, driven by waves of people emigrating in search of a better life.
Mike Schnider and Gisela Salomon | September 12, 2024
Reuters | News US household rent burden unchanged last year, varied by race, Census says
The median cost of housing for both U.S. renters and homeowners rose last year and while the share of income renters put toward housing was unchanged overall the degree to which households were cost-burdened varied by race, the Census Bureau said on Thursday. More than 21 million renter households spent more than 30% of their income on housing costs in 2023, representing 49.7% of the renter households for whom rent burden is calculated. Despite the jump in rental costs, the share of renter income spent on rent and utilities stayed at 31.0% at the median last year, unchanged from 2022, indicating renter household incomes kept pace with the rent increases. It may also be due to higher-income households becoming renters, the Census Bureau said.
Reuters | September 12, 2024
Axios | News The gender wage gap just widened for the first time in 20 years
Men and women both saw real gains in earnings last year, but the wage gap between them widened, per census income data out Tuesday. Why it matters: This is the first significant widening of the gender gap since 2003. State of play: Men’s median earnings rose 3% last year, compared to 1.5% for women. Plus, the composition of the female workforce changed, census officials said Tuesday. There was an influx of Hispanic women into the labor force, as well as younger women and those new to the labor market — all of whom tend to earn less.
Emily Peck | September 11, 2024
Economic Policy Institute | News A 2023 Census data preview: Household incomes likely rose because of a strong labor market and falling inflation
Between 2022 and 2023, the unemployment rate held steady at 3.6% as the labor market added 3.5 million jobs. Over the same period, wages rose faster than inflation—which fell nearly in half. Upcoming Census Bureau data for 2023—set to be released on Tuesday—will reflect how these factors impacted annual earnings, income, and poverty of workers, families, and children across the country. In 2022, the poverty rate increased and incomes fell as high inflation and the loss of pandemic-era safety net programs overshadowed labor market improvements. Even though those safety net programs have not returned, the Census data will likely show that a continued strong labor market coupled with falling inflation meant that livings standards increased among U.S. households in 2023.
Elise Gould | September 6, 2024
States
Arizona
AZCentral | News Hispanic Heritage Month 2024: Why we celebrate Latinos in Arizona and the US
From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the United States celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month. It’s a 30-day celebration dedicated to commemorating the contributions that Americans with Mexican, Central American, South American, Caribbean and Spanish heritage, as well as natives of these nations — a community that comprises 19.1% of the total U.S. population — have made to the country. This year’s theme is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together,” centering on trailblazing Latinos and how they inspire today’s youth. Throughout the month, all kinds of celebrations will be organized in multiple cities, including Latino-centric concerts, food festivals, art exhibits, markets, parades and more.
Paula Soria | September 15, 2024
California
San Francisco Chronicle | News California’s Indian American population is surging. Here’s why
The number of Asian Indians in California rose by more than 300,000 from 2013 to 2023, reflecting one of the fastest growths of any ethnic group. California had an estimated 925,000 Indians and Indian Americans in 2023, a nearly 50% increase from the 620,000 estimated in 2013, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. California’s overall population increased by just 2% over the same period. During the same decade, California’s Chinese American population — while much larger than its Indian population — increased at a slower rate, 21%. Most other Asian populations in the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, including people identifying as Korean or Vietnamese, saw single-digit growth rates.
Christian Leonard | September 15, 2024
Georgia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | News Rising share of Georgians’ income going to rent, says US Census Bureau
Georgia is among a handful of states where the share of renters’ income going toward housing costs increased. In addition, rent increased by 6%, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. In the 2023 American Community Survey published Thursday, a majority of states saw no significant change in the ratio of gross rent to income. In fact, in six states the share decreased, including Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, and West Virginia.
Matt Reynolds | September 14, 2024
Blog Posts and Reports
U.S. Census Bureau | News Census Bureau Announces Transition to New Longitudinal Design for Household Pulse Survey
The U.S. Census Bureau today announced Phase 4.2 will be the final phase of the Household Pulse Survey (HPS) using current methodology. Plans are to transition the HPS to a new longitudinal design. In collaboration with multiple federal agencies, the Census Bureau launched the HPS in April 2020 to measure the social and economic impact of COVID-19 in near real-time to inform federal and state action. While these data have proven valuable, the Census Bureau seeks to mature the HPS in a manner that reduces burden and enables measurement of change over time — while preserving its agility and value to the data user community.
Julie Iriondo | September 16, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | News Census Bureau to Livestream Meeting With Stakeholders on Disability Data Needs
The U.S. Census Bureau will livestream its upcoming meeting with disability community stakeholders Sept. 30 from 10:45 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET in the DC metro area. The event livestream will be available on Census Live for public viewing. The purpose of the meeting is to better understand challenges in data availability and access for the disability community based on feedback in response to a Federal Register notice outlining proposed changes to the American Community Survey. outlining proposed changes to the American Community Survey (ACS).
Public Information Office | September 16, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | News Nearly Half of Renter Households Are Cost-Burdened, Proportions Differ by Race
Over 21 million renter households spent more than 30% of their income on housing costs in 2023, representing nearly half (49.7%) of the 42.5 million renter households in the United States for whom rent burden is calculated. Although the median ratio of income-to-housing costs for renters remained unchanged from 2022 at 31%, there are differences in the income-to-housing cost ratio when comparing across householder’s race. That’s according to newly available data tables released today from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS), 1-year estimates.
Jewel Jordan | September 12, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | News Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.: 2023
The U.S. Census Bureau today announced that real median household income increased by 4.0% between 2022 and 2023. This is the first statistically significant annual increase in real median household income since 2019. The official poverty rate fell 0.4 percentage points, to 11.1%, in 2023. The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) rate in 2023 was 12.9%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from 2022. Meanwhile, 92.0% of the U.S. population had health insurance coverage for all or part of 2023, not statistically different from 2022. An estimated 26.4 million or 8.0% of people did not have health insurance at any point during 2023, according to the 2024 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), also not statistically different from the previous year.
Patricia Ramos | September 10, 2024
As always, you can find earlier clips here.
September 9, 2024 Census Coalition Clips
National
LGBTQ Nation | News LGBTQ+ questions begin the test phase for the Census Bureau’s annual community survey
The U.S. Census Bureau has begun testing its sexual orientation and gender identity questions in preparation for its American Community Survey (ACS). The White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the August survey, and the results will be published in early 2026. President Joe Biden issued a directive for federal agencies to improve their collection methods of LGBTQ+ demographic data, and OMB officials signed off on the new questions on July 11. Meeta Anand, senior director of the conference’s census and data equity program, and Whitman-Walker Institute director of policy Caroline Medina both say that adding the questions is crucial. “Ensuring inclusive and responsible SOGI data collection on the ACS would provide a more comprehensive picture of the needs and experiences of LGBTQI+ communities so they can be better reflected in policies, programs, funding investments, and enforcement of civil rights laws — including those to protect LGBTQI+ people from discrimination and ensure equal opportunity,” their blog post reads.
Elsie Carson-Holt | September 5, 2024
Axios | News America’s struggle belt: High prices squeeze Southern households
Americans in parts of the South and Southeast are having an especially hard time paying for everyday expenses compared to those elsewhere, according to the latest census data. Why it matters: Consumers nationwide have been dealing with rising prices — but those in some areas are having a harder time making ends meet than others. The big picture: About 37% of American adults are in households that found it somewhat or very difficult to pay for typical expenses between late June and late July, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.
Alex Fitzpatrick | September 4, 2024
Investopedia | News The American Dream Now Costs $4.4 Million
The American Dream now costs $4.4 million—that’s the estimated lifetime household cost of common milestones, including getting married, raising two children, buying a home, having new cars, saving for retirement, going on yearly vacations, and more. Investopedia’s report on how much the American Dream would actually cost to achieve found that the total was over $1 million more than most individual Americans earn in a lifetime, though not out of line with what a dual-income household might earn.
Hiranmayi Srinivasan and Amanda Morelli | September 4, 2024
The Hill | News Americans moving at lowest rate in decades: Census Bureau analysis
The percentage of Americans who move is at its lowest rate in recent history. And new research suggests the rate will stay low for quite some time. Migration hovered at around 20% from just after World War II through the 1980s. Since then, it’s been on a steady decline to just 8.4% in 2021. The latest rate, taken from U.S. Census Bureau statistics, is 8.7% in 2022.
Rich Johnson | September 2, 2024
States
California
California Health Care Foundation | News Unpacking the Data to Tell Truer Stories About Ourselves
Back in 2020, a glance at public data might have left the impression that the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (ANHPI) community was somehow faring well during the Covid pandemic. AHS went back to the data for a closer look and found that while members of the Asian community collectively reported lower Covid rates than other groups, including the White population, a different story unfolded when that data was broken apart, or disaggregated. “We saw, for example, there was actually a huge Covid spike in our Vietnamese community,” said Liou. AHS quickly established pop-up Covid clinics in the Little Saigon neighborhood of Oakland, bringing care to where it was most needed and successfully quashing a local Covid surge.
Victoria Clayton | September 5, 2024
Georgia
The New York Times | News Winder, a Rural, Middle-Class City in Georgia, Is in a Rapidly Developing Area
The shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday took place in a rural, unincorporated area between the cities of Atlanta and Athens in Georgia. The school — where a 14-year-old student fatally shot four people and injured nine others, according to the authorities — is on the edge of Winder, which is home to about 20,000 people. The city is roughly 50 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta and about 25 miles west of Athens. The area around the school, once largely farmland nestled in the Georgia pines, has been developing rapidly in the last 15 years, as new buildings have cropped up along its winding, two-lane roads, according to Winder’s mayor, Jimmy Terrell. Winder is the seat of Barrow County, which has nearly doubled in population to 83,500 since 2000, according to census data.
Tim Balk | September 4, 2024
Maryland
The Washington Post | News Prince George’s celebrates its growing African immigrant community
Prince George’s County has long been known as an enclave for middle-class African Americans, a place of cul-de-sac neighborhoods and golf courses that is Maryland’s second-most-populous county. As the area becomes more diverse, a new population is on the rise: African immigrants. That community in Prince George’s has grown from about 41,200 residents in 2010 to about 71,335 residents today, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. County officials estimate that more than 500 African dialects are reflected in Prince George’s African diaspora.
Lateshia Beachum and Keith L. Alexander | September 7, 2024
Ohio
Ohio Capital Journal | News Prison populations impact rural, urban power in Ohio’s census and redistricting
Anti-gerrymandering groups in Ohio and nationally are looking to correct what they say is a representational flaw in redistricting regarding prison populations.
As it stands now, those incarcerated in the country’s state and federal prisons are counted in the U.S. Census every 10 years as residents of the county in which their facility sits. Groups like Common Cause and the Prison Policy Initiative are asking the U.S. Census Bureau and, failing that, other government entities to change that policy. The national Common Cause Education Fund, in conjunction with the PPI, sent a letter to U.S. Census Bureau director Robert Santos and other agency leaders, asking that the bureau suspend its current method of privacy protection within its census data, which they claim led to “unnecessary inaccuracies” in the data set used for the most recent redistricting cycle, and had an “adverse impact,” especially on data for correctional facility populations.
Susan Tebben | August 29, 2024
Blog Posts and Reports
U.S. Census Bureau | Press Release Census Bureau Announces Phase 1 Winners of Challenge to Improve Address Geolocation in Remote and Rural Areas
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Census Open Innovation Labs (COIL) today announced the Phase 1 winners of the Address Geolocation Challenge, a StatVentures challenge designed to improve the way residential addresses are geolocated in remote and rural areas. StatVentures is a COIL program that aims to identify and integrate new technologies through collaborations with innovators outside government to improve the efficiency, creativity, and effectiveness of data collection.
Kristina Barrett | September 6, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Press Release Census Bureau to Embargo 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
The U.S. Census Bureau is scheduled to embargo 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates, which are set to be publicly released on Sept. 12, for qualified members of the media beginning on Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. ET. The ACS provides statistics about the nation’s people and housing such as language spoken at home, education, commuting, employment, mortgage status/rent, income, poverty and health insurance coverage. It is the only source of local statistics for most of the 40-plus topics it covers. The one-year statistics will be available to embargo subscribers for all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, all congressional districts, and metropolitan statistical areas and other geographic areas with populations of 65,000 or more.
Public Information Office | September 5, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Press Release Webinar on Release of 2020 Census Supplemental DHC File
The U.S. Census Bureau plans to hold a prerelease webinar Sept. 16 to discuss the 2020 Census Supplemental Demographic and Housing Characteristics File (S-DHC) scheduled for public release Sept. 19. This is the final 2020 Census data product to be released. The S-DHC provides average household size and counts of people living in certain types of households, and most of the tables are also available by race and Hispanic origin. The product supplements data about households and people published in the DHC in May 2023.
Stacey Gimbel Vidal | September 5, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Blog How Inflation Affects the Census Bureau’s Income and Earnings Estimate
On Sept. 10, 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau will release a new report comparing estimates of median income and earnings between 2022 and 2023 and historical income and earnings dating back to 1967. The report, Income in the United States: 2023, is based on information collected in the 2024 and earlier Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements (CPS ASEC) conducted by the Census Bureau. To account for changes in the cost of living, the Census Bureau adjusts all prior year income and earnings estimates for inflation. There are numerous price indexes available to the Census Bureau to use for this adjustment.
Matthew Unrath and Gloria Guzman | September 4, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Blog Difference Between the Supplemental and Official Poverty Measures
There has been continued debate about the best way to measure poverty in the United States since the first official U.S. poverty statistics were published in the mid-1960s. The U.S. Census Bureau releases two poverty measures each September. The first, called the official poverty measure, is based on cash resources. The second, the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), includes both cash and noncash benefits and subtracts necessary expenses (such as taxes and medical expenses). The official poverty measure has remained mostly unchanged since it was introduced in the mid-1960s. In contrast, the SPM was designed to improve as new data and methods become available. This blog discusses the development of the SPM and differences between the two measures.
John Creamer and Kalee Burns | September 4, 2024
As always, you can find earlier clips here.
September 3, 2024 Census Coalition Clips
National
Milwaukee Independent | News U.S. makes first revision in 27 years to how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity
For the first time in 27 years, the U.S. government is changing how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity, an effort that federal officials believe will more accurately count residents who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage. The revisions to the minimum categories on race and ethnicity, announced by the Office of Management and Budget, are the latest effort to label and define the people of the United States. This evolving process often reflects changes in social attitudes and immigration, as well as a wish for people in an increasingly diverse society to see themselves in the numbers produced by the federal government.
Reporter | September 1, 2024
Odessa American | News THE ECONOMIST: Come from away
The foreign-born population is an indispensable component of the U.S. workforce. Many regions are experiencing slowing population growth or even shrinkage in key working age ranges, as the baby boom generation retires and fertility rates fall. This pattern will only get worse if we fail to act. The U.S. Census Bureau provides estimates of foreign-born individuals, which refers to anyone answering the Census who was not a U.S. citizen at birth. The estimates include naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, asylum seekers, students, and unauthorized migrants. Although the information is collected irrespective of legal status, it is likely that the estimates tend to undercount undocumented immigrants due to a potential reluctance to participate.
- Ray Perryman | August 31, 2024
The Advocate | News Census Bureau to test questions to better represent the LGBTQ+ community
The U.S. Census Bureau is testing questions about sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) on the American Community Survey (ACS). The bureau received approval from the White House Office of Management and Budget on July 11 following a brief period to receive public comment on the questions, the Bay Area Reporter reported. The announcement follows through on a commitment by President Joe Biden during Pride Month two years ago when he issued a directive to federal agencies directing them to find ways to better gauge and serve the LGBTQ+ community. The ACS is sent to 295,000 households every year. The results are used to analyze household data and allocate federal funding.
Donald Padgett | August 30, 2024
States
Georgia
11Alive | News These two Georgia suburbs are among the fastest-growing, report says
Two Georgia cities have made the list for the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation, according to a report from GOBankingRates. The report stated that both suburbs had average home prices below $500,000 in July 2024, based on data from Zillow. According to the Associated Press, as of Aug. 22, home interest rates fell to 6.46%, compared to over 7% a year ago. GOBankingRates researchers looked at the U.S. Census data from 2020 to 2022 to see how fast they grew. The two cities — Union City, which is in the southern part of Fulton County, and McDonough, about 30 miles south of Atlanta, — made the list. McDonough ranked No. 18 on the list with a home value of $354,810 last month, the report added. Researchers said that the suburb also saw a 13.93% change in population in just two years.
Akilah Winters | August 28, 2024
Pennsylvania
Centre Daily Times | News Pennsylvania is losing more wealthy millennials than almost any other state, report finds
More wealthy millennials are moving out of Pennsylvania than nearly every other U.S. state in recent years, according to a new report. That claim comes from a new report out of financial company SmartAsset, which used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Internal Revenue Service to see where well-off millennials are moving throughout the country. The report examined data from the 2021 and 2022 tax years, ultimately defining wealthy millennial households as those aged between 26 and 45 earning at least $200,000 annually.
Matt Disanto | September 3, 2024
Blog Posts and Reports
The Leadership Conference | Blog The American Community Survey: Efforts to Make Data Collection More Inclusive
The American Community Survey (ACS) is the most important Census Bureau survey you’ve never heard of. This nationwide survey provides vital information on a yearly basis about the housing, employment, economic security, education, health insurance coverage, and demographic characteristics of the nation’s population and neighborhoods. These data are used to allocate trillions of dollars in federal funding, develop informed policies, conduct rigorous research, assess programs, and enforce civil rights laws that protect people from discrimination. The ACS also provides data that help to draw voting districts, support access to the ballot box, and measure voter participation, making it critical to the functioning of our democracy. Given its unique impact, it is imperative that the Census Bureau ensure the ACS collects more accurate and inclusive data about underserved communities, especially people of color, LGBTQI+ people, and people with disabilities.
Meeta Anand and Caroline Medina | August 29, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Press Release Business Trends and Outlook Survey Data Release
The U.S. Census Bureau today released new data products from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), a survey that measures business conditions and projections on an ongoing basis. The BTOS includes data for multiunit/multilocation businesses. BTOS will continue to collect data complementary to key items found on other Economic surveys, such as revenues, employees, hours, and inventories. Additional details on artificial intelligence use and types used were added for one cycle and released March 28, 2024.
Julie Iriondo | August 29, 2024
U.S. Census Bureau | Press Release Census Bureau to Open First Federal Statistical Research Data Center in Puerto Rico
The U.S. Census Bureau announced a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate completion of the new Puerto Rico Federal Statistical Research Data Center (PR FSRDC). The center will soon provide local researchers secure access to federal data for advanced statistical research and analysis. Access to FSRDC data will enhance the statistical capacity on the island and enable local officials, industry leaders and third sector to make more informed, timely data-driven decisions. It will also allow local academics to address previously unanswerable research questions.
Public Information Office | August 28, 2024
