Geographic Variation in 2010 U.S. Census Coverage Rates for Young Children: A Look at Counties

Abstract

Data from the Census Bureau’s Demographic Analysis (DA) show there was a net undercount of almost one million children under age 5 in the 2010 Decennial Census. The net undercount for young children was more than twice as high as any other age group. Given the high net total undercount of young children it would be useful to know how this net undercount is distributed geographically. In this study, the 2010 Decennial Census county-level counts of children age 0 to 4 are compared to corresponding figures from the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2010 population estimates, to ascertain census coverage for young children. Results show that net undercount rates for young children are higher in larger counties and counties with high percentages of Black or Hispanic children but county growth rates do not seem to be related to net undercount rates for young children. Discussion explores how this information may be helpful in the 2020 Census.