Previous US Population Data - 1969-2005
Release Date: March 3, 2008
Note: The 1969-2006 US Populations are now available. The 1969-2005 data files will continue to be available through February 2, 2009.
The county population estimates currently used in the SEER*Stat software to calculate cancer incidence and mortality rates are available for download (see Download 1969-2005 US Population Data). They represent a modification of the annual time series of July 1 county population estimates by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin produced by the US Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program, with support from the NCI through an interagency agreement. The modifications made by the NCI to the Census Bureau estimates are documented in Population Estimates Used in NCI’s SEER*Stat Software and are summarized below.
- The population estimates incorporate new bridged single-race estimates for July 1, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 that are derived from the original multiple race categories in the 2000 Census (as specified in the 1997 Office of Management and Budget standards for the collection of data on race and ethnicity). The bridged single-race estimates and a description of the methodology used to develop them appear on the National Center for Health Statistics Web site.
- Another modification only affects population estimates for the state of Hawaii. Based on concerns that the native Hawaiian population has been vastly undercounted in previous censuses, the Epidemiology Program of the Hawaii Cancer Research Center has recommended an adjustment to the populations for their state. The "Hawaii-adjustment" to the Census Bureau’s estimates has the net result of reducing the estimated white population and increasing the estimated Asian and Pacific Islander population for the state. The estimates for the total population, black population, and American Indian and Alaska Native populations in Hawaii are not modified.
- Two sets of population estimates are available for 2005: the standard set based on July 1 populations and a set that has been adjusted for the population shifts due to hurricanes Katrina (August 29) and Rita (September 24). For 62 counties and parishes in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, the Census Bureau has provided total population estimates for January 1, 2006 (see Special Processing Procedures for the Areas Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita) and estimates by age, sex, and race category for July 1 2006 (see Special Population Estimates for Impacted Counties in the Gulf Coast Area). These data sets were used to develop time-weighted average populations for the 62 counties/parishes in 2005. These estimates are lower than the July 1, 2005 values for counties/parishes that had direct hurricane impact and higher for counties/parishes that were destinations for the people displaced by the hurricanes.
- The Census Bureau revised their population estimation methodology this year. This revision only impacts population estimates for 2000 forward. The Census Bureau believes their new estimation method represents an improvement over their previous procedures and results in more accurate population estimates. In comparisons to previous post-2000 population estimates, the main effect we have noted is that the new estimates for specific age groups are impacted for several States, and the changes are larger in more recent years and much smaller for earlier years. Please note that these changes will impact age-specific and age-adjusted rates that use these estimates as denominators. The net effect of the revised Census methodology on age-specific population estimates for the total US are generally small, however, state and county age-specific estimates may show larger changes. Additional comparisons with previous population estimates are ongoing to determine whether other significant differences exist.
Single year of age population estimates by county are available (read Download 1969-2005 US Population Data). The methods used to create these estimates are described in Single Year of Age County Populations.
Standard Population Data Files containing age distributions used as weights to create age-adjusted statistics are also available.
