The U.S. Census bureau has a gold mine of data, but how can we use it?
The answer to that question was on the minds of a dozen Whidbey Island residents who attended a U.S. Census Bureau information demonstration Monday at the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce.
Speaker Linda Clark enthusiastically plugged the Census Bureau’s website at ww.census.gov, from where the computer user can click on the “AmericanFactFinder” option. From there, there’s a world of information about any area of the United States you’re interested in, including Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Langley and Island County. There’s a device called ZCTA which allows the curious to “hone in on any three-digit zip code,” Clark said.
“It’s wonderful,” said Clark. “You can just get stuck in there for days. And you don’t need a password to get at this stuff.”
The meeting attracted individuals representing the Oak Harbor School District, Senior Services, the Island County Housing Authority, the Island District Economic Development District which sponsored the presentation, and other agencies.
To local governments, census data translates into dollars. Last year, Clark said, the federal government distributed $187 billion based on census figures. Much more was handed out when state and local distributions based on census numbers are considered.
Data from the 2000 census is still being organized. A workshop attendee asked about income and poverty numbers, but Clark said those won’t be available for a few weeks. And information from those citizens who had to fill out the “long form” during last year’s census won’t be available until next year.
Clark also gave some background information on the U.S. Census. The first one was conducted in 1790 and they are done every 10 years. To date, there have been 22 census counts. The original reason for the census was to properly apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The 2000 census cost $61 billion to conduct, but that was below budget. Everyone, including illegal aliens, is counted. If you want information about specific individuals, you’ll have to wait until the information becomes public in 72 years. “We don’t share our information with anybody,” Clark said.
