Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission

DATA SOURCE AND SUBJECT CONTENT

Data source

These four-page demographic profiles for each 108th Congressional District in Illinois are extracted from the DVD issued March 2003, entitled 2000 Census of Population and Housing, 108th Congressional Summary Files, and prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau. This DVD contains all the data tables from Summary File 1 (100 percent data) and Summary File 3 (sample data) retabulated for the 108th Congressional District boundaries.

The 108th Congressional District Summary File 1 (100 percent data) presents counts and basic cross tabulations of information collected from all people and housing units in Census 2000. The data are based on answers to the handful of questions common to both the Census 2000 short-form and long-form questionnaires. In general the content and presentation of this file mirrors that of Census 2000 Summary File 1 released in 2001.

The 108th Congressional District Summary File 3 (sample data) presents social, economic, and housing information collected from an approximately one in six sample of people and housing units in Census 2000. The data are based on answers to the additional questions found on the long-form questionnaire. In general the content and presentation of this file mirror that of Census 2000 Summary File 3 released in 2002.

100-percent data. The 108th Congressional District Summary File 1 (100 percent data) released in March 2003 contain the 100-percent data, which are compiled from the questions on the Census 2000 short form questionnaire asked of all people and about every housing unit. Population items include sex, age, race, Hispanic or Latino by race and type, household relationship, household type, and group quarters population. Housing items include occupancy status, vacancy status, and tenure (owner occupied or renter occupied).

The Profile of General Demographic Characteristics (Table DP-1) includes a total of 71 population and 25 housing variables derived from Summary File 1 for the total population and for a limited list of race and Hispanic or Latino groups.

Sample data. Sample data products like the 108th Congressional District Summary File 3 are based on answers to the questions on the Census 2000 long form questionnaire and were asked of a sample of housing units and persons in group quarters (e.g., college dormitories). The Census 2000 long form utilized varying sampling rates that were determined by the size of the governmental unit. This resulted in an overall sampling rate of about 1-in-6.

Population items include ancestry, disability status of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, grandparents as caregivers, income in 1999, poverty status, labor force status, occupation, industry, class of worker, language spoken at home, marital status, migration (residence since 1995), nativity and place of birth, region of birth of the foreign born, citizenship, year of entry, place of work, journey to work, school enrollment and educational attainment, and veteran status.

Housing items include house heating fuel, number of rooms, occupants per room, number of bedrooms, plumbing and kitchen facilities, telephone service, units in structure, utilities, mortgage, taxes, insurance, fuel costs, value of home or monthly rent paid, selected monthly owner costs as a percentage of household income, gross rent as a percentage of household income, vehicles available, year moved into residence, year structure built, and year householder moved into unit.

The Profile of Selected Social Characteristics (Table DP-2) includes a total of 102 variables of social characteristics. The Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics (Table DP-3) includes 95 variables of economic characteristics. And the Profile of Selected Housing Characteristics (Table DP-4) includes 100 variables of housing characteristics. All three profiles are derived from sample, rather than complete count, data.

Congressional districts (CDs) are the 435 areas from which people are elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. After the apportionment of congressional seats among the states, based on census population counts, each state is responsible for establishing CDs for the purpose of electing representatives. Each CD is to be as equal in population to all other CDs in the state as practicable.

The CDs in effect at the time of Census 2000 were those of the 106th Congress, whose session began in January 1999. The 108th Congress is the first to reflect reapportionment and redistricting based on Census 2000 data.

Users requiring additional information about this or any other Census 2000 data release should contact NIPC at 312-454-0400, extension 607. This is NIPC's Census 2000 Hotline. You can also email your questions to: tomasso@nipc.org. Other sources of census information include the NIPC website (http://www.nipc.org and click on "Census 2000 Updates") or the Census Bureau website (http://www.census.gov). The Census website is particularly useful for links to definitions and discussions of census issues. The 108th Congressional District Demographic Profiles are also available online through the Bureau's American FactFinder site (which can be accessed at http://factfinder.census.gov). More information on the 108th Congressional District Summary Files from Census 2000 is online at http://www.census.gov/Press‑Release/www/2003/108th.html.