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Residence RulesFacts About Census 2000 Residence Rules
For Census 2000, the Census Bureau is committed to counting every person. Just as important, however, is the Census Bureau's commitment to counting every person in the correct place. The fundamental reason the decennial census is conducted is to fulfill the constitutional requirement (Article I, Section 2) to apportion the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the states. Thus, for a fair and equitable apportionment, it is crucial that Census 2000 count people in the right place.
Planners of the first U.S. decennial census in 1790 established
the concept of "usual residence" as the main principle in
determining where people were to be counted. This concept has
been followed in all subsequent censuses and is the guiding
principle for Census 2000. Usual residence has been defined as
the place where the person lives and sleeps most of the time.
This place is not necessarily the same as the person's voting
residence or legal residence. Also, noncitizens who are living
in the United States are included, regardless of their
immigration status.
Determining usual residence is easy for most people. Given our
nation's wide diversity in types of living arrangements,
however, the usual residence for some people is not as apparent.
A few examples are people without housing, commuter workers,
snowbirds, college students, live-in nannies, military
personnel, and migrant workers.
Applying the usual residence concept to real living situations
means that people will not always be counted at the place where
they happen to be staying on Census Day (Saturday, April 1,
2000). For example, people temporarily away from their usual
residence, such as on vacation or on a business trip on Census
Day, will be counted at their usual residence. People who live
at more than one residence during the week, month, or year will
be counted at the place where they live most of the time. People
without a usual residence, however, will be counted where they
are staying on Census Day.
The Census Bureau has developed residence rules that provide instructions on where people should be counted in Census 2000. The following sections give the residence rules for people in various living situations.
People temporarily away on vacation or a business trip on Census Day - Counted at their usual residence, that is, the place where they live and sleep most of the time.
People without a usual residence - Counted where they are staying on Census Day.
Commuter workers living away part of the week while
working - Counted at the residence where they
stay most of the week.
Snowbirds (people who live in one
state but spend the winter in another state with a warmer
climate) - Counted at the residence where they live most of
the year.
Children in joint custody - Counted
at the residence where they live most of the time. If time is
equally divided, they are counted where they are staying on
Census Day.
People who own more than one residence
- Counted at the residence where they live most of the time.
Boarding school students - Counted
at their parental home rather than at the boarding school.
College students living away from home while
attending college - Counted where they are
living at college.
College students living at their parental home
while attending college - Counted at their
parental home.
Live-in nannies - Counted where they
live most of the week.
Foster children - Counted where they
are living.
Roomers or boarders - Counted where
they are living.
Housemates or roommates - Counted
where they are living.
People in the military residing in the United
States - Counted at their usual residence (the
place where they live and sleep most of the time), whether it
is on-base or off-base.
Crews of military vessels with a U.S. homeport
- Counted at their usual onshore residence if they report one
(the place where they live and sleep most of the time when they
are onshore) or otherwise at their vessel's homeport.
Crews of U.S. flag merchant vessels engaged in
inland waterway transportation - Counted at their
usual onshore residence (the place where they live and sleep
most of the time when they are onshore).
Crews of U.S. flag merchant vessels docked in a
U.S. port or sailing from one U.S. port to another U.S. port
- Counted at their usual onshore residence if they report one
(the place where they live and sleep most of the time when they
are onshore) or otherwise on the vessel.
People in the military assigned to military
installations outside the U.S., including family members with
them - Counted as part of the U.S. overseas
population and not as part of the U.S. resident population.
Crews of military vessels with a homeport outside
the U.S. - Counted as part of the U.S. overseas
population and not as part of the U.S. resident population.
Crews of U.S. flag merchant vessels docked in a
foreign port, sailing from one foreign port to another foreign
port, sailing from a U.S. port to a foreign port, or sailing
from a foreign port to a U.S. port - Not included
in the census.
Patients in general hospitals or wards, including
newborn babies - Counted at their usual residence
(the place where they live and sleep most of the time). Newborn
babies are counted at the residence in which they will be living.
Patients in chronic or long-term disease hospitals
or wards - Counted at the hospital or ward.
People in nursing or convalescent homes for the
aged or dependent - Counted at the nursing or
convalescent home.
Patients staying in hospice facilities
- Counted at the hospice.
People staying in homes, schools, hospitals, or
wards for the physically handicapped, mentally retarded, or
mentally ill; or in drug/alcohol recovery facilities
- Counted at the institution.
Inmates of correctional institutions, including
prisons, jails, detention centers, or halfway houses
- Counted at the institution.
Children in juvenile institutions such as residential
care facilities for neglected or abused children or orphanages
- Counted at the institution.
Staff members living in hospitals, nursing homes,
prisons, or other institutions - Counted at their
usual residence if they report one (the place where they live
and sleep most of the time) or otherwise at the institution.
Migrant farmworkers - Counted at
their usual U.S. residence if they report one (the place where
they live and sleep most of the time) or otherwise at the
workers' camp.
People at hostels, YMCAs/YWCAs, or public or
commercial campgrounds - Counted at their usual
residence if they report one (the place where they live and
sleep most of the time) or otherwise at the hostel, etc.
Members of religious orders living in monasteries
or convents - Counted at their usual residence
if they report one (the place where they live and sleep most
of the time) or otherwise at the monastery, etc.
People staying at Job Corps or other post-high
school residential vocational training facilities
- Counted at their usual residence if they report one (the
place where they live and sleep most of the time) or otherwise
at the Job Corps Center, etc.
People at soup kitchens or mobile food vans
- Counted at their usual residence if they report one (the
place where they live and sleep most of the time) or otherwise
at the soup kitchen, etc.
Shelters with sleeping facilities for people
without housing, for abused women, or for runaway or neglected
youth - Counted at the shelter.
Citizens of foreign countries who have established
a household or are part of an established household in the U.S.
while working or studying, including family members with them
- Counted at the household.
Citizens of foreign countries who are living in the
U.S. at embassies, ministries, legations, or consulates
- Counted at the embassy, etc.
Citizens of foreign countries temporarily traveling
or visiting in the U.S. - Not included in the
census.
U.S. citizens employed overseas as civilians by the
U.S. Government, including family members with them
- Counted as part of the U.S. overseas population and not as
part of the U.S. resident population.
U.S. citizens not employed by the U.S. Government
who are working, studying, or living overseas -
Not included in the census. |