Research at the National Archives

1980 Census (20th Census) of Population and Housing

Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division Reference Report

Introduction

Summary Statistic Files
Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census

  • Summary Statistic Data Files from the 20th Census of Population and Housing
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 1 (STF 1)
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 2 (STF 2)
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 3 (STF 3)
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 4 (STF 4)
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 5 (STF 5)
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Law 94-171
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Equal Employment Opportunity Special File
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: County-to-County Migration Flow Data File
  • Comparability between 1980 Census and 1970 Census Summary Statistic Files


Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS)
Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census
  • Public Use Microdata Files (PUMS) from the 20th Census of Population and Housing
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "A"
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "B"
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "C"
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "E"
    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "F"

Geographic Reference Files
Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census

  • Geographic Reference Files and Related Computer Programs from the 20th Census of Population and Housing
    • Geographic Base File / Dual Independent Map Encoding (GBF/DIME) Computer Program Files
    • Geographic Base File / Dual Independent Map Encoding (GBF/DIME) Files
    • Master Area Reference File 2 (MARF 2)
    • 1980-1970 Tract Comparability File

Related Information
Contact Us

Introduction

This reference report provides information about data files from the 1980 Census (20th Census) of Population and Housing in the custody of the Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division. None of the records described contain individual names or identifiers. The data files contain summary statistics on population and housing characteristics, public use microdata samples, or geographic reference data.

Researchers may order copies of the computerized data files on removable media for a cost-recovery fee and analyze the records directly, using whatever hardware and software they have. For more information on ordering data files, see: Ordering Information for Electronic Records. Full descriptions of some of the data files listed in this report are in NARA's Archival Research Catalog (ARC), which can be searched by title, ARC identification number (ARC ID), type of archival material, or keyword.

Summary Statistic Files

Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census

  • Summary Statistic Data Files from the 20th Census of Population and Housing
    ARC ID: 585715

    This series contains summary statistic data files, including general public use Summary Tape Files (STF) and summary statistic data files created for a specific use. The Bureau of the Census created 5 STFs. Each STF consists of a particular set of subject matter data tables for specific types of areas and the files within each STF differ in the types of geographic areas covered, such as states, counties, minor civil divisions, census tracts, and etc. The ARC description for each STF file details the subject matter and geographic areas covered in the file. Also, the 1980 Census Summary Statistic Data Files Geographic Area Coverage TablePDF provides a comparison of the various geographic areas in the STFs, excluding geographic areas unique to Puerto Rico. STFs 1 and 2 provide data based on the complete count, but, in general, STF2 contains more subject matter detail than STF1. STFs 3, 4, and 5 are based on sample data, with STF4 containing more subject matter detail than STF3. STF5 contains the most subject matter detail of the STFs. The Bureau of the Census also created summary statistic data files for Public Law 94-171 and for Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative action uses.

    The technical documentation for the summary statistic data files consists of basic and general documentation and, in some cases, code tables. Basic documentation includes that which is necessary to interpret the structure and content of the files. General documentation includes a description of the 1980 Summary Tape Program, technical information about the various STFs, a glossary of 1980 Census concepts, and sometimes additional information specific to those data files. Documentation often varies for Puerto Rico and other American territories. The Division also has custody of supplementary documentation related to the 1980 Census, such as the Bureau of the Census' "Users Guide: Part C. Index to Summary Tape Files 1-4" (PHC80-R1-C, issued September 1983, 145 pages). Contact staff regarding the availability of supplementary documentation.

    Data files in this series include:

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 1A (STF 1A)
      ARC ID: 587353
      Data Files: 55 (one per state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the remainder of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
      Geographic Areas: 8 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 101 pages/basic; 71 pages/general; for Puerto Rico data 155 pages/basic

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 1B (STF 1B)
      ARC ID: 587342
      Data Files: 52 (one per state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico)
      Geographic Areas: 9 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table); separate geographic areas for Puerto Rico
      Technical Documentation: 101 pages/basic; 71 pages/general; for Puerto Rico data 155 pages/basic

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 1C (STF 1C)
      ARC ID: 587354
      Data Files: 1 (one for the United States)
      Geographic Areas: 11 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 101 pages/basic; 71 pages/general

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 1D (STF 1D)
      ARC ID: 587355
      Data Files: 51 (one per state and the District of Columbia)
      Geographic Areas: states; congressional districts (CDs) of the 98th Congress; and areas within each CD
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 84 pages/basic; 71 pages/general

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 1F (STF 1F)
      ARC ID: 585755
      Data Files: 1 (one for the United States)
      Geographic Areas: school districts and counties within school districts
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 130 pages/basic; 78 pages/general

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 1H (STF 1H)
      ARC ID: 587345
      Data Files: 10 (one per state redistricted for the 99th Congress)
      Geographic Areas: states; congressional districts (CDs) of the 99th Congress; and areas within each CD
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 84 pages/basic; 71 pages/general

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 2A (STF 2A)
      ARC ID: 978197
      Data Files: 51 (one per state and the District of Columbia)
      Geographic Areas: 6 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 173 pages/basic; 71 pages/general

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 2B (STF 2B)
      ARC ID: 849180
      Data Files: 49 (one per state (except MI & VT) and the District of Columbia)
      Geographic Areas: 9 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 174 pages/basic; 71 pages/general

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 2C (STF 2C)
      ARC ID: 587359
      Data Files: 3 (all cover the United States)
      Geographic Areas: 14 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 173 pages/basic; 71 pages/general

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 3A (STF 3A)
      ARC ID: 587352
      Data Files: 57 (one per state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the remainder of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Virgin Islands of the United States)
      Geographic Areas: 8 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 201 pages/basic; 148 pages/general; 109 pages/code tables

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 3B (STF 3B)
      ARC ID: 593726
      Data Files: 51 (one per state and the District of Columbia)
      Geographic Areas: five-digit ZIP code areas within counties for states and standard metropolitan statistical areas (SMSAs)
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 201 pages/basic; 148 pages/general; 109 pages/code tables

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 3C (STF 3C)
      ARC ID: 593754
      Data Files: 1 (one for the United States)
      Geographic Areas: 10 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 201 pages/basic; 148 pages/basic; 109 pages/code tables

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 3D (STF 3D)
      ARC ID: 593769
      Data Files: 51 (one per state and the District of Columbia)
      Geographic Areas: states, congressional districts (CDs) of the 98th Congress, and areas within each CD
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 171 pages/basic; 148 pages/general; 109 pages/code tables

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 3F (STF 3F)
      ARC ID: 593774
      Data Files: 51 (one per state and the District of Columbia)
      Geographic Areas: school districts and counties within school districts
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 180 pages/basic; 239 pages/general; 109 pages/code tables

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 3H (STF 3H)
      ARC ID: 587349
      Data Files: 10 (one per state redistricted for the 99th Congress)
      Geographic Areas: states; congressional districts (CDs) of the 99th Congress; and areas within each CD
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 171 pages/basic; 148 pages/general; 109 pages/code tables

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 4A (STF 4A)
      ARC ID: 610411
      Data Files: 50 (one per state (except HI & ID), the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico)
      Geographic Areas: 6 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 582 pages/basic; also available electronic format

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 4B (STF 4B)
      ARC ID: 610818
      Data Files: 51 (one per state and the District of Columbia)
      Geographic Areas: 10 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 583 pages/basic; also available in electronic format

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 4C (STF 4C)
      ARC ID: 638474
      Data Files: 1 (one for the United States)
      Geographic Areas: 15 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 582 pages/basic; also available in electronic format

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Summary Tape File 5A (STF 5A)
      ARC ID: 627770
      Data Files: 2 (both for Illinois)
      Geographic Areas: 5 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 788 pages/basic; also available in electronic format

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Law 94-171
      ARC ID: 593809
      Data Files: 51 (one per state and the District of Columbia)
      Geographic Areas: 8 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 62 pages/basic; 122 pages/general

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Equal Employment Opportunity Special File
      ARC ID: 602285
      Data Files: 52 (one per state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico)
      Geographic Areas: 4 selected areas
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 186 pages/basic; for Puerto Rico data 91 pages/basic; each set of documentation available in electronic format

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Inter-County Migration Flow Data File
      ARC ID: 657129
      Data Files: 1
      Geographic Areas: counties or county equivalents
      (see ARC description or geographic table)
      Technical Documentation: 74 pages/basic

  • Comparability between 1980 Census and 1970 Census Summary Statistic Files

    For those researchers interested in comparing 1980 Census data and 1970 Census data, several 1980 Census summary tape files (STF) are comparable to some of the 1970 Census summary counts. The 1980 STF1 is similar in subject matter and geographic detail to the 1970 First and Third Count files. The 1980 STF2 and STF4 are roughly comparable to the 1970 Second and Fourth Counts, respectively. The 1980 STF3 is comparable to the 1970 Fifth Count, while the 1980 STF5 corresponds to the 1970 Sixth Count. For more information about the 1980 census summary tape files available from NARA, please see the 1970 Census (19th Census) of Population and Housing Electronic and Special Media Records Reference Report. For 1970 Census and 1980 Census tract comparability, see 1980-1970 Tract Comparability File below.

Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS)

Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census

  • Public Use Microdata Files (PUMS) from the 20th Census of Population and Housing
    ARC ID: 593956

    This series contains records for a sample (drawn from long-form questionnaires) of housing units with information on the characteristics of each unit and the people it. The "A," "B," and "C" sample files have a different geographic scheme, although the microdata records do not identify geographic areas with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. These three files also differ in sample size, which is a subsample of the sample of households that received census long-form questionnaires. The Bureau of the Census specially prepared the "E" and "F" sample files for other research institutions. Data files in this series include:

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "A"
      ARC ID: 593958
      Data Files: 52 (one per state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico)
      Geographic Areas: census divisions, states, selected Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas of 100,000 or more population, most counties of 100,000 or more population, selected places of 100,000 or more population, and selected county groups
      Sample Size: 5% of households in the Nation
      Technical Documentation: 358 pages

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "B"
      ARC ID: 593960
      Data Files: 53 (one per state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and a file for all county groups crossing state lines)
      Geographic Areas: some states, standard metropolitan statistical areas of 100,000 or more population, selected counties of 100,000 or more population, selected places of 100,000 or more population, selected county groups, and a metropolitan/non-metropolitan breakdown
      Sample Size: 1% of households in the Nation
      Technical Documentation: 358 pages

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "C"
      ARC ID: 593961
      Data Files: 36 (one for each of the 27 states separately identified and the District of Columbia, and one file for each of the eight groups of the remaining states)
      Geographic Areas: census divisions, some states, selected places of 100,000 or more population, selected urbanized areas, and an urban/rural breakdown
      Sample Size: 1% of households in the Nation
      Technical Documentation: 358 pages

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "E"
      ARC ID: 593962
      Data Files: 9 (one for each of the census divisions)
      Geographic Areas: focus on metropolitan/non-metropolitan and rural/urban
      Sample Size: 1% of households in the Nation
      Technical Documentation: 362 pages

    • Census of Population and Housing, 1980: Public Use Microdata Sample "F"
      ARC ID: 623650
      Data Files: 4
      Geographic Areas: 50 largest Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas
      Technical Documentation: 228 pages; also available in electronic format

Geographic Reference Files

Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census
  • Geographic Reference Files and Related Computer Programs from the 20th Census of Population and Housing
    ARC ID: 593968

    This series contains files with political and/or census geographic referencing relating to the 1980 Census. This series includes:

    • Geographic Base File / Dual Independent Map Encoding (GBF/DIME) Computer Program Files
      ARC ID: 594154
      Data Files: 84
      Technical Documentation: varies per computer program

      These files include the Correction, Update, Extension (CUE) tape and the Special Program Information Tape (SPIT), both of which are comprised of several computer cartography programs.

    • Geographic Base File / Dual Independent Map Encoding (GBF/DIME) Files
      ARC ID: 594203
      Data Files: 338
      Technical Documentation: 110 pages

      These files provide computerized representations of the Metropolitan Map Series (MMS) and includes streets, address ranges, and other geographic codes for metropolitan areas.

    • Master Area Reference File 2 (MARF 2)
      ARC ID: 594204
      Data Files: 51
      Technical Documentation: 87 pages

      These files contain numeric codes and names for census geographic areas plus 100% and sample data for selected population and housing items.

    • 1980-1970 Tract Comparability File
      ARC ID: 594205
      Data Files: 1
      Technical Documentation: 11 pages; also available in electronic format

      This file contains records of 1980 Census tracts whose boundaries or identification changed between the 1970 and 1980 Censuses.

Related Information

The U.S. Census Bureau makes some technical documentation related to the 1980 Census of Population and Housing data files available on its website at: http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/1980.htm

Contact Us

Reference Services
Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division
National Archives at College Park
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001
(301) 837-0470
e-mail: cer@nara.gov

July 2007


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