Small Population, Big Impact: Improving the Measurement of the Group Quarters Population in the American Community Survey

• Activity Number: 595
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Thursday, August 2, 2012 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Graham Kalton*+ and Joseph Salvo*+ and Richard Valliant*+ and Alfredo Navarro*+
• Companies: New York City Department of City Planning and Westat and University of Maryland and U.S. Census Bureau
• Keywords: American Community Survey ; group quarters ; small-area estimates

Abstract

The American Community Survey (ACS) is based on two samples: a housing unit sample and a sample of persons residing in group quarters. Group quarters include facilities such as nursing homes, college dorms, and correctional facilities, and they are currently underrepresented in the ACS, which affects the quality of the total population estimates produced in many small areas that have group quarters populations. The National Academies' Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) convened a panel on methods used for measuring the group quarters population in the ACS. The panel evaluated alternatives to the current sample design, weighting procedures, and other methodological features that can make the ACS group quarters data more useful for small-area data users. Of special concern was how these alternatives would affect the ability of the ACS to measure the characteristics of the total population for small governmental jurisdictions, census tracts, and block groups, using the five-year period estimates. This session will focus on the CNSTAT panel's recommendations and discuss the broader issues of including group quarters residents in surveys.