“Mining Data on American Indians
and Alaska Natives (AIAN)”
U.S. Census Bureau
Alaska Native Population Conference
Anchorage, AK
April 12, 2012
Michael Burns
Census Data are the Major Funding
Source for Federal Programs to
Alaska Natives
• To develop an understanding and appreciation
for the importance of Census Bureau data,
especially the American Community Survey.
• To learn how to find key social, economic and
housing data on the U.S. Census Bureau’s
website to assist in addressing critical housing
and socio-economic issues facing Alaska
Native communities.
Alaska Natives & Census Taking
1790
First population census taken in U.S.
1860
First time AIANs are counted as a separate population category
1880
First Census in Alaska
Ivan Petroff was in charge of the first census in Alaska, but
only counted 25 trading posts and communities in Southeast Alaska.
For people living in the interior of Alaska, Petroff wrote:
"What the country north of Cook's Inlet is like no civilized man can tell, as in
all the years of occupation of the coast by the Caucasian race, it has
remained a sealed book.“
1890-1950
Census takers use observation to identify race
1924
American Indian Citizenship Act
1960-1970
Self-Identification replaces observation of race
1980
Census Bureau actively seeks American Indian input
1990
Tribal Governments Program is developed
2000
Name changed to American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Program
2010
Short Form Census; First Release of 5 year Data from ACS
3
Purpose of Census & ACS for the
Alaska Native Population
•
•
•
•
Determine size of Alaska Native population
Determine its geographic distribution
Determine the characteristics of its well-being
Tabulate and provide data useful to Native
Corporations, village governments and Alaska
Native organizations
So where are the largest population
centers of Alaska Natives in AK?
5
Tracking AIAN’s Demographic and
Housing Trends
• American Indian & Alaska Native population has
increased to 5 million.
• One-third live on tribal lands.
• The American Indian and Alaska Native population
remains young—median age 29.7 .
• Average family size is 3.51.
• 19% of homes in tribal areas are overcrowded.
• Over 12% of tribal housing lacks plumbing.
• 55% of American Indians and Alaska Natives own
their own home.
6
Alaska Natives Alone or in Combination
3,755
Tsimshian
Population
19,282
Aleut
33,889
Yup’ik
Yup'ik
Inupiat
Tlingit‐Haida
22,484
Ak Athabascan
Alaskan Athabascan
Aleut
26,080
Tlingit‐Haida
33,360
Inupiat
Tsimshian
7
Percentage Distribution of Alaska
Native Tribal Groupings
Alone and In Combinations with other Racial Groups
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
14.6
85.4
25.5
41.5
74.5
58.5
30.5
69.5
38.2
61.8
38.6
61.4
Tribal Grouping in any
Combination
Tribal Grouping Alone
8
Village Government Uses of Census Data
• Identify village population
characteristics to plan village
services for people who are
disabled.
• Evaluate needs for village
employment development
and training programs.
• Analyze social and economic
trends for grant proposals for
health care issues.
• Develop housing needs
assessments and identify
housing program priorities.
Indian Housing Block Grant
• Factors derived from
Census Bureau ACS
data
– Households with housing
burden
– Households which are
overcrowded
– Households without
kitchen or plumbing
facilities
– Households with low
income
10
How Alaska Native Data Are Obtained
The 2010
Census
& The
American
Community
Survey
12
Facts about the 2010 Census
Questionnaire
• The 2010 Census Questionnaire only had 10
questions
• Short form census only for the 2010 Census
• No other group of questions have such a
dramatic effect on our lives.
• Questions:
• Name, Relationship, Gender, Age, Hispanic Origin,
Race, and Tenure
13
The American Community
Survey:
“Speaking with one voice”
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Continuous information source on
characteristics of the population
every year
Decision making tool
Public, private benefit
Assess government performance
Innovative, less burdensome
ACS is conducted in every Alaska
Native village over a 5 year period
All information confidential
The American Community Survey
• What do you need to know before using ACS data
and data products?
1. ACS data are estimates.
2. ACS data are not counts of the population or housing.
3. Population counts are produced from the 2010 census.
• Counts are updated throughout the decade through the
Population Estimates Program
4. ACS provides characteristics of the population
15
American Community Survey
Social Characteristics
•
•
•
•
Education
Marital Status
Fertility
Grandparent
Caregivers
• Veterans
• Disability
Status
Place of Birth
Citizenship
Year of Entry
Language Spoken
at Home
• Ancestry / Tribal
Affiliation
•
•
•
•
Social Characteristics for Unalakleet
17
American Community Survey
Economic Characteristics
• Income
•
•
•
•
•
•
Benefits
Employment Status
Occupation
Industry
Commuting to Work
Place of Work
American Community Survey
Housing Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tenure
Occupancy & Structure
Housing Value
Taxes & Insurance
Utilities
Mortgage/Monthly Rent
American Community Survey
Demographic Characteristics
•
•
•
•
Sex
Age
Hispanic Origin
Race
American Community Survey Data Product Releases
Population Thresholds
65,000 +
population
20,000 +
population
< 20,000
population
1-year
estimates
3-year
estimates
5-year
estimates
X
X
X
X
X
X
Census tracts, block groups, and ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are
released with 5-year estimates only. For data users interested in using
ACS at the village level, the 5 year estimates should be used.
21
Data from the 2010 Census & ACS
Supports Funding to AIAN Programs
Title IV Grants to Alaska Natives
Child Welfare Services‐
State Grants.
Alaska Rural Community Development Initiative
Public Indian Housing
2010 Census & the American Community Survey
Indian Child & Family Education
American Indian & Alaska Native Employment Assistance 22
Types of Federal Grants
• “Discretionary”--grants handed out by a federal
agency
• Example: a homeless assistance grant given
out by HHS to a homeless shelter
• “Formula or Block”—grants that put money in the
hands of states, tribal, and village governments
to distribute
• Example: Community Services Block Grant
Census Data and Tribal Affiliation
•
Self-identification is the basis of
the census (race & ethnicity).
•
Geographic based, not
Enrollment based.
•
Census 2010 and ACS
questionnaires ask for the
“enrolled or principle tribe”.
•
Census tables will show data by
tribal affiliation
24
American Indian & Alaska Native Areas
•
•
•
•
•
American Indian Reservations
Off-reservation Trust Lands
TJSA’s (Oklahoma)
Alaska Native Villages
Sub-Reservation Geography
– districts/chapters
– census designated places
– census tracts
– block groups
– blocks
Two Types of 2010 Census & ACS Data
• Geographic-based:
data for tribal lands, Alaska
Native villages, urban areas
and rural communities.
• Tribal affiliation-based:
data for 539 individual tribes.
26
Availability of Census Data for Alaska
Native Areas
• Census data can be found on our web site:
www.census.gov
– 1990 and 2000 Census data available on American
FactFinder for tribes and tribal areas.
– Summary File 1 (2010 Census)
– American Community Survey data has been available
for all tribal areas
– Summary File 2 –SF2 file for Alaska released in March
– American Indian and Alaska Native Summary File –
December 2012
27
How to Access Census & ACS Data
• Four major ways of accessing data:
– If you only need some quick information about a
state, county, city, hub-city, or village, use:
1. Population Finder
2. Quick Facts
– If you need to do more in-depth research, you will
need to learn to access data through American
Factfinder.
3. American Factfinder
» 3 hours to learn
» Tutorials
4. FTP—For higher level data users
28
Two Fundamental Decisions You Need
To Make when Accessing Census Data
Geography
Demographic or Economic Topic
Choose your geographic level for the topic your need
29
Hierarchy of Census Geographic Entities
Note: All Census data are tied
and aggregated to a level of
geography.
30
Go to the
Census
Homepage
to Access
Population
Finder or
Quick Facts
Quick
Facts
Population
Finder
31
Access Demographic profiles
on Bethel
Quick
Facts
Bethel
Easy Access to More Data on Bethel
33
ACS Data Products
Profiles
–
–
–
–
Data Profiles
Narrative Profiles
Comparison Profiles
Selected Population Profiles
Tables
–
–
–
–
Detailed Tables and Collapsed Tables
Subject Tables
Ranking Tables
Geographic Comparison Tables
Thematic Maps
Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) Files
34
More Data Available on Rental Housing
through the American Community Survey
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
How much rental housing exists in your area?
How old is the rental housing?
What is the rental housing rate?
Age distribution of renters?
How much do renters pay?
What percent of income is spent on rent?
How many renters are Alaska Native in your
community?
35
Housing for Elders/Special
Needs Housing from ACS
• What is the age distribution of village housing?
• How many elders live in rental housing? Ownership
housing?
• How many elderly live alone and are in poverty?
• How many have mobility or living limitations?
• Cross tabulation of disability and poverty
36
ACS Detailed Tables
Table Name
Table Number
Universe
Data Source
Collapsed Version
Margin of Error
37
37
Margin of Error
• What is the Margin of Error:
– Provides you with the best estimation
• A confidence level is used for the purpose of estimating
a population parameter by using statistics (a single
number that describes the population).
• For example, the monthly unemployment rate for the
country is 8.1 ± 0.1 (8.0<-->8.2)
• The Margin of Error is the amount of plus or minus that
is attached to your sample results when you move from
discussing the sample itself (the bowl of soup) to
discussing the whole population (the large pot of soup)
that the sample represents.
Example of Aggregating Estimates
Geography
Estimate
Margin of Error
Tract 1
5,264
1,624
Tract 2
6,508
1,395
Tract 3
4,364
1,026
Tract 4
6,865
1,909
Apply the formula:
New Estimate = 23,001
(Equal to the sum of estimates)
New MOE = 3,046
(Less than the sum of MOEs)
*The estimates in this example are fictitious.
39
American FactFinder (AFF)
Exercise using ACS Data
• You are interested in submitting a grant to
provide specific services for households in
poverty in the central core of Fairbanks,
specifically in Census Tracts 1, 4 and 5.
• You are interested in knowing how many
households have incomes of $15,000 or less
annual incomes.
• The grant submission requires the data be
shown with the MOEs.
Reference Map of Fairbanks, AK
Step 1: Go to AFF
Step 1:
Go to American Factfinder to
download the data and select
the dataset for 2010 ACS 5year Estimates
Step 2: Select all Tracts within
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Step 2: Select all Tracts within
Fairbanks North Star Borough (cont’d)
Step 2: Select all Tracts within
Fairbanks North Star Borough (cont’d)
Be sure to “close” the Geography Panel
Step 3: Select your Topic
After you choose your geography, then
select your “Topics”
Enter “Household Income “ in the
search for box and press “GO”
Step 3: Select Topic—Household Income
Choose table B19001 HU Income I the past 12 months
Step 4: Your Results
Exercise 1 Calculation
Household Income less than $15,000 during the last 12 months (Table B19001) for Census Tract 1, Tract 4, Tract 5 in the City of Fairbanks, AK
Household Income
Estimate
MOE
MOE2
Square Root of Sum
Tract 1 $0‐10K
56
±52
2704
Tract 1 $10‐15K
134
±78
6084
Tract 4 $0‐10K
34
±33
1089
Tract 4 $10‐15K
75
±75
5625
Tract 5 $0‐10K
74
±70
4900
Tract 5 $10‐15K
64
±56
3136
Note: ±153 is your Margin
of Error (MOE) for the 6
collapsed data cells. 437
HU ±153, meaning that if
we took 100 ladles of
soup, 90 ladles would
have estimates btw 284 –
437 – 590 Hus.
Remember: The Margin of
Error measures the
variation in the random
samples due to chance.
COMBINED
437
23538
153
Is the Reliability of the Data Good?
• Remember: The Margin of Error (MOE) measures
the variation in the random samples due to chance
• First find the Standard Error
• SE = 153/1.645
(Standard Error SE = MOE / 1.645)
93
• Coefficient of Variance CV = SE / Estimate * 100%
• 93/437 x 100 = 21.2%
Exercise 1: Results
Household Income less than $15,000 during the last 12 months (Table B19001) for Census Tract 1, Tract 4, Tract 5 in the City of Fairbanks, AK
Household Income
Estimate MOE
SE
CV
Tract 1 $0‐10K
56
±52
31.6
56.4%
Tract 1 $10‐15K
134
±78
47.4
35.3%
Tract 4 $0‐10K
34
±33
20.1
59.1%
Tract 4 $10‐15K
75
±75
45.6
60.1%
Tract 5 $0‐10K
74
±70
42.5
57.4%
Tract 5 $10‐15K
64
±56
34.0
53.1%
COMBINED
437
±153
93.0
21.2%
Expected improvements
• Five Year Coefficients of Variation (CVs) for typical tracts, by
size where red > yellow > green
CVs after reallocation, before sample expansion (2.9M)
CVs after reallocation and sample expansion (3.54M)
Tract Size Category
Average Tract Size
CVs before reallocation and sample expansion
0 – 400
291
66%
41%
35%
401 – 1,000
766
41%
30%
25%
1,001 – 2,000
1,485
29%
29%
25%
2,000 – 4,000
2,636
26%
29%
25%
4,000 – 6,000
4,684
19%
29%
25%
6,000 +
8,337
15%
28%
25%
53
We are here to Help
• The Census Bureau provides training on how to
access Census data on our website
www.census.gov
• The workshops are usually 3 hours on how to
use our Population Finder, Quick Facts and the
New American Factfinder.
• The price is right The trainings are free.
54
Questions and Answers...