1940 U.S. Census Seal

Census Questions by Decade

All census questions provided by the United States Census Bureau.

1790 Census ↑

  1. Name of head of household
  2. The number of free White males aged:
    • under 16 years
    • of 16 years and upward
  3. Number of free White females
  4. Number of other free persons
  5. Number of slaves

1800 Census ↑

  1. Name of head of household
  2. The number of free White males and females aged, respectively:
    • under 10 years of age
    • of 10 years but under 16 years
    • of 16 years but under 26 years
    • of 26 years but under 45 years
    • 45 years and upward
  3. Number of all other free persons
  4. Number of slaves

1810 Census ↑

  1. Name of head of household
  2. Number of free White males and females aged, respectively:
    • under 10 years of age
    • of 10 years but under 16 years
    • of 16 years but under 26 years
    • of 26 years but under 45 years
    • 45 years and upward
  3. Number of all other free persons
  4. Number of slaves

1820 Census ↑

  1. Name of head of household
  2. The number of free White males and females aged, respectively:
    • under 10 years of age
    • of 10 years but under 16 years
    • of 16 years but under 18 years (for males)
    • of 18 years but under 26 years (for males)
      • of 16 years but under 26 years (for females)
    • of 26 years but under 45 years
    • 45 years and upward
  3. The number of male and female slaves aged, respectively:
    • under 14 years of age
    • of 14 years but under 26 years
    • of 26 years but under 45 years
    • 45 years and upwards
  4. The number of free colored males and females aged, respectively:
    • under 14 years of age
    • of 14 years but under 26 years
    • of 26 years but under 45 years
    • 45 years and upwards
  5. Number of foreigners not naturalized
  6. Number of persons (including slaves) engaged in agriculture, commerce, and manufactures

1830 Census ↑

  1. Name of head of household
  2. The number of free White males and females, respectively:
    • under 5 years
    • 5 to 10 years
    • 10 to 15 years
    • 15 to 20 years
    • 20 to 30 years
    • 30 to 40 years
    • 40 to 50 years
    • 50 to 60 years
    • 60 to 70 years
    • 70 to 80 years
    • 80 to 90 years
    • 90 to 100 years
    • 100 years and upward
  3. The number of slaves and free colored persons of each sex, respectively:
    • under 10 years
    • 10 to 24 years
    • 24 to 36 years
    • 36 to 55 years
    • 55 to 100 years
    • 100 years and upward
  4. The number of White persons and the number of "slaves and colored persons" who were deaf and dumb aged:
    • under 14 years
    • 14 and under 25 years
    • 25 years and upward
  5. The number of White persons and "slaves or colored persons" who were blind, respectively
  6. The number of White persons who were foreigners not naturalized

1840 Census ↑

  1. Name of head of household
  2. The number of free White males and females, respectively:
    • under 5 years
    • 5 to 10 years
    • 10 to 15 years
    • 15 to 20 years
    • 20 to 30 years
    • 30 to 40 years
    • 40 to 50 years
    • 50 to 60 years
    • 60 to 70 years
    • 70 to 80 years
    • 80 to 90 years
    • 90 to 100 years
    • 100 years and upward
  3. The number of slaves and free colored persons of each sex, respectively:
    • under 10 years
    • 10 to 24 years
    • 24 to 36 years
    • 36 to 55 years
    • 55 to 100 years
    • 100 years and upward
  4. The number of White persons and of "slaves and colored persons" who were deaf and dumb aged:
    • under 14 years
    • 14 and under 25 years
    • 25 years and upward
  5. The number of White persons and "slaves or colored persons" who were blind, respectively
  6. The number of White persons who were foreigners not naturalized

1850 Census ↑

  1. Schedule No. 1 - Free Inhabitants
    1. Number of dwelling house (in order visited)
    2. Number of family (in order visited)
    3. Name
    4. Age
    5. Sex
    6. Color
      • This column was to be left blank if a person was White, marked "B" if a person was Black, and marked "M" if a person was Mulatto.
    7. Profession, occupation, or trade of each person over 15 years of age
    8. Value of real estate owned by person
    9. Place of Birth
      • If a person was born in the United States, the enumerator was to enter the state they were born in. If the person was born outside of the United States, the enumerator was to enter their native country.
    10. Was the person married within the last year?
    11. Was the person at school within the last year?
    12. If this person was over 20 years of age, could they not read and write?
    13. Is the person "deaf, dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict"?

  2. Schedule No. 2 - Slave Inhabitants
    1. Name of owner
    2. Number of slave
      • Each owner's slave was only assigned a number, not a name. Numbering restarted with each new owner.
    3. Age
    4. Sex
    5. Color:
      • This column was to be marked with a "B" if the slave was Black and an "M" if they were Mulatto.
    6. Listed in the same row as the owner, the number of uncaught escaped slaves in the past year.
    7. Listed in the same row as the owner, the number of slaves freed from bondage in the past year.
    8. Is the slave "deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic"?

1860 Census ↑

There were multiple questionnaires used for the 1860 census, including a separate slave questionnaire (which collected the same information as in 1850).

  1. Number of dwelling home in order of visitation by the enumerator
  2. Number of family in order of visitation by the enumerator
  3. Name
  4. Age
  5. Sex
  6. Color
    • Enumerators could mark "W" for Whites, "B" for Blacks, or "M" for Mulattos.
  7. Profession, Occupation, or Trade of each person, male and female, over 15 years of age
  8. Value of person's real estate
  9. Value of person's personal estate
  10. Place of birth
    • Enumerator could list the state, territory, or country of the person's birth.
  11. Was the person was married within the last year?
  12. Did the person attend school within the last year?
  13. If the person was over 20 years of age, could he not read or write?
  14. Was the person deaf and dumb, blind, idiotic, pauper, or convict?

1870 Census ↑

  1. Number of dwelling house, by order of visitation from enumerator
  2. Number of family, by order of visitation from enumerator
  3. Name
  4. Age
  5. Sex
  6. Color
    • Enumerators could mark "W" for White, "B" for Black, "M" for Mulatto, "C" for Chinese [a category which included all east Asians], or "I" for American Indian.
  7. Profession, occupation, or trade
  8. Value of real estate
  9. Value of personal estate
  10. Place of birth
    • State or territory of the United States or foreign country
  11. Was the person's father of foreign birth?
  12. Was the person's mother of foreign birth?
  13. If the person was born within the last year, which month?
  14. If the person was married within the last year, which month?
  15. Did the person attend school within the last year?
  16. Can the person not read?
  17. Can the person not write?
  18. Is the person deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic?
  19. Is the person a male citizen of the United States of 21 years or upwards?
  20. Is the person a male citizen of the United States of 21 years or upwards whose right to vote is denied or abridged on grounds other than "rebellion or other crime"?

1880 Census ↑

  1. Number of dwelling home, in order of visitation by the enumerator
  2. Number of family, in order of visitation by the enumerator
  3. Name
  4. Color
    • Enumerators were to mark "W" for White, "B" for Black, "Mu" for Mulatto, "C" for Chinese [a category which included all east Asians], of "I" for American Indian.
  5. Sex
  6. Age
  7. If the person was born within the census year, what was the month?
  8. Relationship to the head of the family
  9. Is the person single?
  10. Is the person married?
  11. Is the person widowed or divorced?
    • Enumerators were to mark "W" for widowed and "D" for divorced.
  12. Was the person married within the census year?
  13. Profession, occupation, or trade
  14. Number of months the person had been employed within the census year
  15. Was, on the day of the enumerator's visit, the person was sick or disabled so as to be unable to attend to ordinary business or duties? If so, what was the sickness or disability?
  16. Was the person blind?
  17. Was the person deaf and dumb?
  18. Was the person idiotic?
  19. Was the person insane?
  20. Was the person maimed, crippled, bedridden, or otherwise disabled?
  21. Had the person attended school in the past year?
  22. Can the person not read?
  23. Can the person not write?
  24. What was the person's place of birth?
  25. What was the person's father's place of birth?
  26. What was the person's mother's place of birth?

1890 Census ↑

For 1890, the Census Office changed the design of the population questionnaire. Residents were still listed individually, but a new questionnaire sheet was used for each family.

  1. Across the top of the sheet were several organizational questions:
    1. Number of dwelling house in the order of visitation by enumerator
    2. Number of families in the dwelling house
    3. Number of persons in the dwelling house
    4. Number of this family in order of visitation by enumerator
    5. Number of persons in this family
  2. The following questions, listed by row number, were asked of each individual resident:
    1. Christian name in full, and initial of middle name
    2. Surname
    3. Was this person a soldier, sailor, or marine during the Civil War (U.S.A. or C.S.A.), or the widow of such a person?
    4. Relationship to the head of the family
    5. Race
      • Enumerators were instructed to write "White," "Black," "Mulatto," "Quadroon," "Octoroon," "Chinese," "Japanese," or "Indian".
    6. Sex
    7. Age
    8. Was the person single, married, widowed, or divorced?
    9. Was the person married within the last year?
    10. How many children was the person a mother of? How many of those children were living?
    11. Person's place of birth
    12. Place of birth of person's father
    13. Place of birth of person's mother
    14. How many years has the person been in the United States?
    15. Is the person naturalized?
    16. Has the person taken naturalization papers out?
    17. Profession, trade, or occupation
    18. Number of months unemployed in the past year
    19. How many months did the person attend school in the past year?
    20. Can the person read?
    21. Can the person write?
    22. Can the person speak English? If not, what language does he speak?
    23. Is the person suffering from an acute chronic disease? If so, what is the name of that disease and the length of time affected?
    24. Is the person defective of mind, sight, hearing, or speech? Is the person crippled, maimed, or deformed? If yes, what was the name of his defect?
    25. Is the person a prisoner, convict, homeless child, or pauper?
    26. Depending on the person's status in the questions in rows 22, 23,or 24, the enumerator would indicate on this line whether additional information was recorded about him on a special schedule.
  3. The following questions, located at the end of each family's questionnaire sheet were asked of each family and farm visited:
    1. Was the home the family lived in hired, or was it owned by the head or by a member of the family?
    2. If owned by a member of the family, was the home free from "mortgage incumbrance"?
    3. If the head of the family was a farmer, was the farm which he cultivated hired or was it owned by him or a member of his family?
    4. If owned by the head or member of the family, was the farm free from "mortgage incumbrance"?
    5. If the home or farm was owned by the head or member of the family, and mortgaged, what was the post office address of the owner?

1900 Census ↑

  1. General Population Schedule
    1. Number of dwelling home in order of visitation by enumerator
    2. Number of family in order of visitation by enumerator
    3. Name
    4. Relation to head of the family
    5. Color or Race
      • Enumerators were to mark "W" for White, "B" for Black, "Ch" for Chinese, "Jp" for Japanese, or "In" for American Indian.
    6. Sex
    7. Date of Birth
    8. Age
    9. Was the person single, married, widowed, or divorced?
    10. How many years has the person been married?
    11. For mothers, how many children has the person had?
    12. How many of those children are living?
    13. What was the person's place of birth?
    14. What was the person's father's place of birth?
    15. What was the person's mother's place of birth?
    16. What year did the person immigrate to the United States?
    17. How many years has the person been in the United States?
    18. Is the person naturalized?
    19. Occupation, trade, or profession
    20. How many months has the person not been employed in the past year?
    21. How many months did the person attend school in the past year?
    22. Can the person read?
    23. Can the person write?
    24. Can the person speak English?
    25. Is the person's home owned or rented?
    26. If it is owned, is the person's home owned free or mortgaged?
    27. Does the person live in a farm or in a house?
    28. If a person lived on a farm, the enumerator was to write that farm's identification number on its corresponding agricultural questionnaire in this column
  2. Indian Population Schedule

    Enumerators were instructed to use a special expanded questionnaire for American Indians living on reservations or in family groups off of reservations. The first 28 questions on the schedule are nearly identical to those asked to the general population. The only difference is that enumerators were instructed to mark "Ration Indian" in the occupation column for those American Indians who were wholly dependent on government aid for support. Enumerators were to mark "R" next to the occupation of those who were partly dependent on government aid. The following additional information, listed by column number, was collected from persons listed on the Indian population schedule:

    1. Indian Name
    2. Tribe of this person
    3. Tribe of this person's father
    4. Tribe of this person's mother
    5. Fraction of person's lineage that is white
    6. Is this person living in polygamy?
    7. Is this person taxed?
      • An American Indian was considered "taxed" if he or she was detached from his or her tribe and was living in the White community and subject to general taxation, or had been alloted land by the federal government and thus acquired citizenship.
    8. If this person has acquired American citizenship, what year?
    9. Did this person acquire citizenship by receiving an allotment of land from the federal government?
    10. Is this person's house "movable" or "fixed?"
      • Enumerators were to mark "movable" if the person lived in a tent, tepee, or other temporary structure; they were to mark "fixed" if he or she lived in a permanent dwelling of any kind.

1910 Census ↑

The 1910 census questionnaire was similar in design to that used in 1900. The most notable change was the late addition, at the behest of Congress, of a question concerning a person's "mother tongue." It was so late, in fact, that questionnaires for the census had already been printed. Information on "mother tongues" was to be added into "nativity" columns 12, 13, and 14.

  1. General Population Schedule:
    1. Number of dwelling house in order of enumeration
    2. Number of family in order of enumeration
    3. Name
    4. Relationship to head of the family
    5. Sex
    6. Color or Race
      • Enumerators were to enter "W" for White, "B" for Black "Mu" for mulatto, "Ch" for Chinese, "Jp" for Japanese, "In" for American Indian, or "Ot" for other races.
    7. Age
    8. Is the person single, married, widowed, or divorced?
      • Enumerators were to enter "S" for single, "Wd" for widowed,"D" for divorced, "M1" for married persons in their first marriage, and "M2" for those married persons in their second or subsequent marriage.
    9. Number of years of present marriage
    10. How many children is the person the mother of?
    11. Of the children a person has mothered, how many are still alive?
    12. Place of birth of the person
    13. Place of birth of the person's father
    14. Place of birth of the person's mother
    15. Year of immigration to the United States
    16. Is the person naturalized or an alien?
    17. Can the person speak English? If not, what language does the person speak?
    18. The person's trade, profession, or occupation
    19. General nature of the industry, business, or establishment in which this person works
    20. Is the person an employer, employee, or working on his own account?
    21. If the person is an employee, was he out of work on April 15, 1910?
    22. If the person is an employee, what is the number of weeks he was out of work in 1909?
    23. Can the person read?
    24. Can the person write?
    25. Has the person attended school at any time since September, 1909?
    26. Is the person's home owned or rented?
    27. Is the person's home owned free or mortgaged?
    28. Does the person reside in a home or on a farm?
    29. If on a farm, what is the farm's identification number on the census farm schedule?
    30. Is the person a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy?
    31. Is the person blind in both eyes?
    32. Is the person deaf and dumb?
  2. Indian Population Schedule:

    Enumerators of American Indians living on reservations or in family groups outside of reservations used a special modified schedule for the 1910 census which included an extra page of questions. Columns 1 through 32 were almost identical to the general population schedule. The only difference is that enumerators were instructed to mark "Ration Indian" in column 18 for occupation for those American Indians who did not work and were wholly dependent on government support. Those who work and received some support were to have their occupation listed, followed by the letter "R." Enumerators asked those listed on the Indian population schedule the following additional questions, listed by column number:

    1. Tribe of this person
    2. Tribe of this person's father
    3. Tribe of this person's mother
    4. Proportion of this person's lineage that is American Indian
    5. Proportion of this person's lineage that is white
    6. Proportion of this person's lineage that is black
    7. Number of times married
    8. Is this person living in polygamy?
    9. If this person is living in polygamy, are his wives sisters?
    10. If this person graduated from an educational institution, which one?
    11. Is this person a taxed?:
      • An American Indian was considered "taxed" if he or she was detached from his or her tribe and was living in the white community and subject to general taxation, or had been alloted land by the federal government and thus acquired citizenship.
    12. If this person had received an allotment of land from the government, what was the year of that allotment?
    13. Is this person residing on his or her own land?
    14. Is this person living in a "civilized" or "aboriginal" dwelling?:
      • Enumerators were to mark "Civ." (for "civilized") if the person was living in a log, frame, brick, or stone house, etc. and "Abor." (for "aboriginal") if the person was living in a tent, tepee, cliff dwelling, etc.

1920 Census ↑

  1. Street of person's place of abode:
    • Enumerators were to write the name of the street vertically in the column, so that they only had to write it once for all of the enumerated persons living on that street.
  2. House number or farm
  3. Number of dwelling house in order of visitation by enumerator
  4. Number of family in order of visitation by enumerator
  5. Name
  6. Relationship to head of family
  7. Is the person's home owned or rented?
  8. If owned, is it owned freely or mortgaged?
  9. Sex
  10. Color or race
    • Enumerators were to enter "W" for White, "B" for Black, "Mu" for mulatto, "Ch" for Chinese, "Jp" for Japanese, "In" for American Indian, or "Ot" for other races.
  11. Age at last birthday
  12. Single, married, widowed, or divorced?
    • Enumerators were to enter "S" for single, "Wd" for widowed, "D" for divorced, "M1" for married persons in their first marriage, and "M2" for those married persons in their second or subsequent marriage.
  13. Year of immigration to the United States
  14. Is the person naturalized or alien?
  15. If naturalized, what was the year of naturalization?
  16. Did the person attend school at any time since September 1, 1919?
  17. Can the person read?
  18. Can the person write?
  19. Person's place of birth
  20. Person's mother tongue
  21. Person's father's place of birth
  22. Person's father's mother tongue
  23. Person's mother's place of birth
  24. Person's mother's mother tongue
  25. Can the person speak English?
  26. Person's trade or profession
  27. Industry, business, or establishment in which the person works
  28. Is the person an employer, a salary or wage worker, or working on his own account?
  29. If the person is a farmer, what is the farm's identification number on the corresponding farm schedule?

1930 Census ↑

Population Schedule

  1. Street the enumerated person lives on
  2. House number of enumerated person (in cities and towns)
  3. Number of dwelling house in order of visitation by enumerator
  4. Number of family in order of visitation by enumerator
  5. Name
  6. Relationship to head of family
  7. Is the person's home owned or rented?
  8. If the home is owned, is it owned free or mortgaged?
  9. Does this person live on a farm now?
  10. Did this person live on a farm a year ago?
  11. Sex
  12. Color or Race
    • Enumerators were to enter "W" for white, "Neg" for black, "Mex" for Mexican, "In" for American Indian, "Ch" for Chinese, "Jp" for Japanese, "Fil" for Filipit; fno, "Hin" for Hindu, and "Kor" for Korean. All other races were to be written out in full.
  13. Age
  14. Is the person single, married, divorced, or widowed?
  15. Has the person attended school at any time since Sept. 1, 1929?
  16. Can the person read and write?
  17. Person's place of birth
  18. Person's father's place of birth
  19. Person's mother's place of birth
  20. Year of immigration into the United States
  21. Is the person naturalized or an alien?
  22. Is the person able to speak English?
  23. Trade, profession, or particular kind of work done?
  24. Industry or business in which at work
  25. Is person an Employee (E), wage or salary worker (W), or own account (O)?
  26. Whether the person is actually at work?
  27. Record line number for unemployed
  28. Whether the person is a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition?
  29. If yes, which war or expedition?
    • Enumerators were to enter "WW" for World War I, "Sp" for the Spanish-American War, "Civ" for the Civil War, "Phil" for the Phillipine insurrection, "Box" for the Boxer rebellion, or "Mex" for the Mexican expedition.
  30. Number of farm schedule.

Census of Unemployment

  1. Date of enumeration
  2. Sheet number of person's corresponding population schedule entry
  3. Line number of person's corresponding population schedule entry
  4. Name
  5. Does this person usually work at a gainful occupation?
  6. Does this person usually have a job of any kind?

If this person has a job:

  1. How many weeks since he has worked at that job?
  2. Why was he not at work yesterday (or the last regular workday)?
    • Enumerators were instructed to be as specific as possible. A list of examples provided to enumerators included: "sickness," "was laid off," "voluntary lay-off," "bad weather," "lack of materials," "strike," etc.
  3. Does he lose a day's pay by not being at work?
  4. How many days did he work last week?
  5. How many days does he work in a full-time week?

If this person has no job of any kind:

  1. Is he able to work?
  2. Is he looking for a job?
  3. For how many weeks has he been without a job?
  4. Reason for being out of a job:
    • Enumerators were instructed to be as specific as possible. A list of examples provided to enumerators included: "plant closed down," "sickness," "off season," "job completed," "machines introduced," "strike," etc.

Supplemental Schedule for Indian Population

The additional questions asked of American Indians were much less numerous than in past censuses. The following information, listed by column number, was collected:

  1. Sheet number of person's corresponding population schedule entry
  2. Line number of person's corresponding population schedule entry
  3. Name
  4. Sex
  5. Age
  6. Is the person of full American Indian or mixed lineage?
  7. Tribe
  8. Person's Post Office address
  9. Agency where the person is enrolled

1940 Census ↑

Population Census (1940)

The 1940 census was the first to include a statistical sample. Five percent of people were asked an additional 16 questions. In order to gauge the effect of the Great Depression on the nation's housing stock, a census of occupied dwellings was coupled with the usual demographic questions. Enumerators collected the following information, organized by column number:

  1. Population
    1. Street the person lives on
    2. House number
    3. Number of household in order of visitation
    4. Is the home owned or rented?
    5. Value of the home, if owned, or monthly rental, if rented
    6. Does the person's household live on a farm?
    7. Name
    8. Relationship with the head of household
    9. Sex
    10. Color or race
    11. Age at last birthday
    12. Marital status
    13. Did the person attend school or college at any time in the past year?
    14. What was the highest grade of school that the person completed?
    15. Person's place of birth
    16. If foreign born, is the person a citizen?
    17. In what place did the person live on April 1, 1935?
      • For persons who, on April 1, 1935 was living in the same house as at present, enumerators were to enter "same house" into column 17; they were to leave the rest of the columns in this section blank. For persons who lived in a different house, enumerators were to fill out the columns with information about their 1935 residence.
    18. City, town, or village
      • For villages with fewer than 2,600 residents, and all unorganized places, enumerators were to enter "R."
    19. County
    20. State or Territory
    21. Was this house on a farm?
  2. For persons 14 years and older - employment status:
    1. Was the person at work for pay or profit in private or nonemergency government work during the week of March 24 - 30?
    2. If not, was he at work on, or assigned to, public emergency work (WPA, NYA, CCC, etc.) during the week of March 24 - 30?
    3. If the person was neither at work or assigned public emergency work: was this person seeking work?
    4. If not seeking work, did he have a job or business?
    5. For persons answering "No" to questions 22, 23, 24, and 25; indicate whether engaged in home housework (H), in school (S), unable to work (U), or Other (Ot)
    6. If the person was at work in private or non emergency government employment: how many hours did he work in the week of March 24 - 30?
    7. If the person was seeking work or assigned to public emergency work: what was the duration, in weeks, of his unemployment?
    8. What is the person's occupation, trade, or profession?
    9. What is the person's industry or business?
    10. What is the person's class of worker?
    11. Number of weeks worked in 1939 (or equivalent of full time weeks)
    12. Amount of money, wages, or salary received (including commissions)
    13. Did this person receive income of more than $50 from sources other than money wages or salary?
    14. Corresponding number on the Farm Schedule of the person's farm
  3. Supplementary Questions
    1. Name
    2. Person's father's birthplace
    3. Person's mother's birthplace
    4. Person's mother or native tongue
  4. Veterans

    Is this person a veteran of the United States military forces; or the wife, widow, or under-18-year old child of a veteran?

    1. If so enter "Yes"
    2. If the person is a child of a veteran, is the veteran father dead?
    3. War or military service:
      • Enumerators were to mark "W" for World War I; "S" for the Spanish-American War, the Phillipine insurrection, or Boxer Rebellion; "SW" for both the Spanish-American War and World War I; "R" for peacetime service only; or "Ot" for any other war or expedition
  5. Social Security

    For persons 14 years old and over:

    1. Does this person have a federal Social Security number?
    2. Were deductions for federal Old-Age Insurance or railroad retirement made from this person's wages in 1939?
    3. If so, were deductions made from all, one-half or more, or less than one-half of the person's wages or salary?
    4. What is this person's usual occupation?
    5. What is this person's usual industry?
    6. What class of worker is this person?
  6. For all women who are or have been married:
    1. Has this person been married more than once?
    2. Age at first marriage
    3. Number of children ever born

Housing Census (1940)

The 1940 census was the first to include a separate questionnaire on the condition of the nation's housing stock. Unlike on the general population questionnaire, enumerators were required to check one of a series of options for each question, rather than write in a response. Organized by column number (and response options), enumerators collected the following information:

Census of Occupied Dwellings

  1. Location and Household Data
    1. Number of structure in order of visitation by enumerator
      • Dwelling unit number within structure
    2. Line number on the corresponding population questionnaire
      • Block Number
      • Name of head of family
      • Street number and address
      • Apartment number or location
    3. Color or race of head
      • 1.) White
      • 2.) Black
      • 3.) All other races
    4. Number of persons in household
    5. Does this family live on a farm?
      • 1.) Yes
      • 0.) No
    6. What is this family's home tenure?
      • 0.) Owned
      • 1.) Rented
    7. Value of home of monthly rental (in dollars)
      • Estimated rent of owned non-farm home (in dollars)
  2. Characteristics of Structure
    1. Type of structure in which this dwelling unit is located:
      1. Structure without business:
        • V.) 1-family detached
        • 0.) 1-family attached
        • 1.) 2-family side-by-side
        • 2.) 2-family other
      2. 3-or-more-family structure without business (list number of units)
      3. Structure with business
      4. Other dwelling place
    2. Originally built as:
      • 1.) Residential structure with the same current number of dwelling units
      • 2.) Residential structure with a different from the current number of dwelling units
      • 3.) Non-residential structure
    3. Exterior material:
      • 1.) Wood
      • 2.) Brick
      • 3.) Stucco
      • 4.) Other
    4. Is the structure in need of major repair?
      • 1.) Yes
      • 0.) No
    5. Year originally built
    6. Number of rooms
    7. Water Supply:
      • 1.) Running water in dwelling unit
      • 2.) Hand pump in dwelling unit
      • 3.) Running water within 50 feet of dwelling unit
      • 4.) Other supply within 50 feet of dwelling unit
      • 5.) No water supply within 50 feet of dwelling unit
    8. Toilet facilities:
      • 1.) Flush toilet in structure, in exclusive use
      • 2.) Flush toilet in structure, shared
      • 3.) Non-flush toilet in structure
      • 4.) Outside toilet or privy
      • 5.) No toilet or privy
    9. Bathtub or shower with running water in structure:
      • 1.) Exclusive use
      • 2.) Shared
      • 3.) None
    10. Principle lighting equipment:
      • 1.) Electric
      • 2.) Gas
      • 3.) Kerosene/Gasoline
      • 4.) Other
    11. Principle refrigeration equipment:
      • 1.) Mechanical
      • 2.) Ice
      • 3.) Other
      • 4.) None
    12. Radio in dwelling unit?
      • 1.) Yes
      • 0.) No
    13. Heating equipment:
      • 1.) Steam or hot water system
      • 2.) Piped warm air system
      • 3.) Pipeless warm air furnace
      • 4.) Heating stove
      • 5.) Other or none
    14. Principal fuel used for heating:
      • 1.) Coal or coke
      • 2.) Wood
      • 3.) Gas
      • 4.) Electric
      • 5.) Fuel Oil
      • 6.) Kerosene/Gasoline
      • 7.) Other
      • 8.) None
    15. Principal fuel used for cooking:
      • 1.) Coal or coke
      • 2.) Wood
      • 3.) Gas
      • 4.) Electric
      • 6.) Kerosene/Gasoline
      • 7.) Other
      • 8.) None
    16. Is furniture included in the cost of rent?
        • 1.) Yes
        • 0.) No
      1. Estimated cost of rent without furniture (in dollars)
    17. Average monthly cost of:
      1. Electricity
      2. Gas
      3. Other fuel
      4. Water
    18. Value of property (in dollars)
    19. Number of dwelling units on property?
    20. Is there a mortgage on the property?
        • 1.) Yes
        • 0.) No
      1. Present debt:
        • On 1st mortgage (in dollars)?
        • On 2nd mortgage (in dollars)?
    21. Are regular payments required:
        • 1.) Monthly?
        • 2.) Quarterly?
        • 3.) Semi-annually?
        • 4.) Annually?
        • 5.) On another regular payment plan?
        • 6.) On no regular payment plan
      1. Amount of each payment (in dollars)
    22. Do payments include an amount for the reduction of principal?
      • 1.) Yes
      • 0.) No
    23. Do payments include real estate taxes?
      • 1.) Yes
      • 0.) No
    24. Interest rate now being charged (in percentages)
    25. Holder of the first mortgage (or land contract):
      • 1.) Building and loan
      • 2.) Commercial bank
      • 3.) Savings bank
      • 4.) Life insurance company
      • 5.) Mortgage company
      • 6.) Home Owner's Loan Corporation
      • 7.) Individual
      • 8.) Other

1950 Census ↑

Population Census (1950)

The 1950 census population questionnaire asked fewer questions than its predecessor; the full population was asked only 20 questions. As in 1940, a 5 percent sample was asked an additional slate of questions. Enumerators asked the following questions, listed by column:

  1. Population:
    1. Name of street, avenue or road where the household is located
    2. Home or apartment number
    3. Serial number of dwelling unit
    4. Is this house on a farm (or ranch)?
    5. If no, is this house on a place of three or more acres?
    6. Corresponding agriculture questionnaire number
    7. Name
    8. Relationship to head
    9. Race
    10. Sex
    11. How old was this person on his last birthday?
    12. Is this person now married, widowed, divorced, separated, or never married?
      • Enumerators were to enter "Mar" for married, "Wd" for widowed, "D" for divorced, "Sep" for separated, or "Nev" for never married.
    13. What State or country was the person born in?
    14. If foreign born, is the person naturalized?
  2. For persons 14 years of age and over
    1. What was this person doing most of last week - working, keeping house, or something else?
      • Enumerators were to record "Wk" for working, "H" for keeping house, "U" for unable to work, or "Ot" for other.
    2. If the person was "keeping house" or "something else" in question 15, did the person do any work at all last week, not counting work around the house? (Including work-for-pay, in his own business, working on a farm or unpaid family work)
    3. If the person answered "no" to question 16, was he looking for work?
    4. If the person answered "no" to question 17, even if he didn't work last week, does he have a job or business?
    5. If the person was working, how many hours did he or she work in the last week?
    6. If the person was working:
      1. What kind of work does the person do?
      2. What kind of business or industry is the person in?
      3. Class of worker the person is.
        • Enumerators were to mark "P" for private employment, "G" for government employment, "O" for own business, or "NP" for working without pay.
  3. Supplemental Questions (for a 5 percent sample of the population)

    For all ages:

    1. Was the person living in the same house a year ago?
    2. If no to question 21, was the person living on a farm a year ago?
    3. If no to question 21, was the person living in the same county a year ago?
    4. If no to question 23:
      1. What county (or nearest place) was he living in a year ago?
      2. What state or foreign country was he living in a year ago?
    5. What country were the person's mother and father born in?
    6. What is the highest grade of school that the person has attended?
      • Enumerators were to mark "0" for no school; "K" for kindergarten "S1" through "S12" depending on the last year of elementary or secondary school attended; "C1" through "C4" depending on the last year of undergraduate college education attended; or "C5" for any graduate or professional school.
    7. Did the person finish this grade?
    8. Has the person attended school since February 1st?
      • Enumerators could check a box for "yes" or "no" for those under thirty; for those over thirty, they were to check a box for "30 or over."

    For persons 14 years and older:

    1. If the person is looking for work, how many weeks has he been looking for work?
    2. Last year, how many weeks did this person not work at all, not counting work around the house?
    3. Last year, how much money did the person earn working as an employee for wages or salary?
    4. Last year, how much money did the person earn working at his own business, professional occupation, or farm?
    5. Last year, how much money did the person receive from interest, dividends, veteran's allowances, pensions, rents, or other income (aside from earnings)?
    6. If this person is the head of the household: last year, how much money did his relatives in this household earn working for wages or salary?
    7. If this person is the head of the household: last year, how much money did the person earn working at his own business, professional occupation, or farm?
    8. If this person is the head of the household: last year, how much money did the person receive from interest, dividends, veteran's allowances, pensions, rents, or other income (aside from earnings)?
    9. If male: did he ever serve in the U.S. Armed Forces during:
      1. World War II
      2. World War I
      3. Any other time, including present service
    10. To enumerator: if the person worked in the last year, is there any entry in columns 20a, 20b, or 20c?
      • If yes, skip to question 40; if no, make entries for questions 39a, 39b, and 39c.
    11. If this person worked in the last year:
      1. What kind of work does this person doe in his job?
      2. What kind or business or industry does this person work in?
      3. Class of worker
    12. If ever married, has this person been married before?
    13. If married, widowed, divorced, or separated, how many years since this event occurred?
    14. If female and ever married, how many children has she ever borne, not counting stillbirths?

Housing Census (1950)

The 1950 census housing questionnaire was slightly shorter than its counterpart from 1940 but retained the layout developed during that census. Additionally, the questionnaires for occupied and vacant housing were combined into one form. Enumerators collected the following information, listed by column and category number:

Housing

  1. For all dwelling units:
    1. Serial number of the dwelling unit
    2. Block number
    3. Type of living quarters:
      • 1.) House, apartment, or flat
      • 2.) Trailer
      • 3.) Tent, boat, railroad car
      • X.) Non-dwelling unit quarters within a large rooming house, institution, hotel, tourist court, etc.
    4. Type of Structure:
      • 1.) Detached
      • 2.) Semi-detached
      • 3.) Attached
    5. Number of dwelling units in structure
    6. Is there a business unit in the structure?
      • 1.) Yes
      • 2.) No
    7. What is the condition of the unit?
      • 1.) Not dilapidated
      • 2.) Dilapidated
    8. Enumerators were to ask the following question: "We have listed (number) persons living here. Have we missed anyone away traveling? Babies? Lodgers? Other persons staying here who have no home anywhere else?"
      • Final count of persons
      • X.) Occupied entirely by nonresidents
      • V.) Vacant
    9. How many rooms are in this dwelling unit, not including bathrooms?
    10. Piped water supply:
      • 1.) Hot and cold piped running water inside this structure
      • 2.) Only cold piped running water inside this structure
      • 3.) Piped running water outside this structure
      • 4.) No piped running water (hand pump, well, etc.)
    11. Type of toilet:
      1. Flush toilet inside this structure
      2. Flush toilet outside this structure
      3. Privy, outhouse, or chemical toilet
      4. No toilet for this unit
    12. Toilet - exclusive use:
      1. For this unit's exclusive use
      2. Shared with another unit
      3. No toilet for this unit
    13. Installed bathtub or shower:
      1. For this unit's exclusive use
      2. Shared with another unit
      3. No bathtub or shower
    14. Is there a radio in this unit?
      1. Yes
      2. No
      3. Vacant
    15. Is there a television set in this unit?
      1. Yes
      2. No
      3. Vacant
    16. Occupancy:
      • Occupied:
        1. By owner
        2. By renter
        3. Rent free
      • Vacant:
        1. For rent
        2. For sale only
        3. Not for rent or sale
  2. For all vacant units:
    1. Is the unit:
      1. Non-seasonal
      2. Seasonal
  3. For non-farm vacant units only:
    1. If "for rent" - the monthly rent of this unit
    2. if "for sale only" - sale price asked
  4. For non-farm units occupied by owner:
    1. How much would this property sell for?
    2. How many dwelling units are included in this property?
    3. Is there any mortgage (trust) on this property?
      1. Yes
      2. No
  5. For non-farm units occupied by renter:
    1. What is the monthly rent for this unit?
    2. In addition to rent, how much do you pay for:
      • Electricity (monthly average)
      • Gas (monthly average)
      • Water (monthly average)
      • Wood, Coal, and Oil (12 month total)
    3. Is this unit rented:
      1. Unfurnished
      2. Furnished
    4. If rented furnished, what would it cost to rent per month unfurnished?

1960 Census ↑

Population Census (1960)

For the first time in 1960, the Census Bureau mailed out a combined population and housing questionnaire to all urban residents in the United States. Residents were to complete the questionnaire themselves and hold it until an enumerator came visit and collect the form. Enumerators then gave an additional sample questionnaire to 25 percent of households, with instructions to mail it back to their census office. Rural residents were enumerated by traditional visitation. The census "short form" collected only five questions: relationship to head of household, age, sex, race, and marital status. The census questionnaire and enumerators collected the following information, listed by question number:

Population

  1. Name
  2. Relationship to head of household
  3. Sex
  4. Race or color
  5. Date of birth
  6. Marital status
  7. Place of birth
  8. If foreign born, what is the person's mother tongue?
  9. Birth country of person's father
  10. Birth country of person's mother
  11. When did this person move into this house or apartment? The following categories were listed on the form:
    • In 1959 or 1960
    • In 1958
    • In 1957
    • April 1955 to December 1956
    • January 1954 to March 1955
    • 1950 to 1953
    • 1940 to 1949
    • 1939 or earlier
    • Always lived at this place
  12. Did the person live in this house on April 1, 1955?
    1. Born April 1955 or later
    2. Yes, this house
    3. No, different house
      • Where did he live on April 1, 1955?
        1. City or town
        2. Did he live inside of the city limits?
        3. County (or state, foreign country, U.S. possession, or etc.)
  13. What is the highest grade this person has attended in school?
  14. Did the person finish that highest grade?
  15. Has the person attended regular school or college at any time since February 1, 1960?
  16. Was it a public or private school?
  17. If this person has ever been married, has this person been married more than once?
  18. What month and year did the person get married? If he has been married more than once, what was the month and year of his first marriage?
  19. If this is a woman who has ever been married, how many babies has she ever had, not counting stillbirths?
  20. Was this person born before or after April 1946?

If the person was born before April 1946:

  1. Did this person work at any time last week?
  2. If yes, how many hours did he work last week at all jobs?
  3. Was this person looking for work, or on a layoff from a job?
  4. Does this person have a job or business from which he was temporarily absent last week because of illness, vacation, or other reasons?
  5. When did the person last work, even for a few days?
    • Working now
    • In 1960
    • In 1959
    • 1955 to 1958
    • 1950 to 1954
    • 1949 or earlier
    • Never worked
  6. Occupation:
    1. This person last worked in 1949 or has never worked
    2. This person is on active duty in the armed forces now
    3. This person worked in 1950 or later
      1. For whom did he work?
      2. What kind of business or industry was it?
      3. Was the industry primarily:
        • Manufacturing
        • Wholesale trade
        • Retail trade
        • Other (services, agriculture, government, construction, etc.)
      4. What kind of work was this person doing?
      5. Was this person:
        • Privately employed
        • A government employee
        • Self-employed
        • Working without pay
  7. What city and county did this person work in last week?
  8. How did this person get to work last week?
    • Railroad
    • Subway or elevated train
    • Bus or streetcar
    • Taxicab
    • Private auto or carpool
    • Walk only
    • Worked at home
    • Other
  9. Last year, did this person work at all?
  10. How many weeks did this person work, either full time or part time?
  11. How much did this person earn in 1959 in wages, salary, commissions, or tips for all jobs?
  12. How much did he earn in 1959 in profits or fees from working in his own business, professional practice, partnership, or farm?
  13. Last year, how much income did this person receive from Social Security, pensions, veteran's payments, rent (minus expenses), interest or dividends, unemployment insurance, welfare payments, etc?
  14. Has this person ever served in the Army, Navy, or other Armed forces? If so, was it during the Korean War, World War II, World War I, or at another time?

Housing Census (1960)

Housing questions for the 1960 census were wrapped up with population inquiries. Enumerators filled out answers for the first 17 questions themselves- self enumeration began at question 18. The following information, listed by question number, was collected:

Housing

  1. Enumerators filled out answers for the first 18 questions themselves.
    1. Address
    2. Type of housing unit:
      • House, apartment, or flat
      • Trailer
    3. Access to unit:
      • Direct from outside or through a common hall
      • Through another unit
    4. Does the person have a kitchen or cooking equipment?
      • For the use of people in his household only
      • Shared with another household or no cooking equipment
    5. What is the condition of the housing unit?
      • Sound
      • Deteriorating
      • Dilapidated
    6. Is the unit occupied?
      • If vacant, is it vacant:
        • Year-round
        • Migratory worker housing
        • Seasonal housing
    7. How many rooms are in this unit? Include kitchens but not bathrooms
    8. Is there hot and cold running water inside this house or building?
      • Hot and cold running water inside the house or building
      • Only cold running water inside
      • Running water on property but not inside building
      • No running water
    9. Is there a flush toilet inside of this house or building?
      • Yes, for this household only
      • Yes, but shared with another household
      • No flush toilet for the use of this household,
    10. Is there a bathtub or shower in this house or building?
      • Yes, for this household only
      • Yes, but shared with another household
      • No bathtub or shower for the use of this household
    11. Is the house, part of a house, or apartment in which the person lives:
      • Owned or being bought by the person or someone else in the household
      • Rented for cash
      • Occupied without the payment of cash rent
    12. If the housing unit is vacant, is it:
      • For rent
      • For sale only
      • Rented or sold, but not occupied
      • For occasional use
      • Vacant for another reason
    13. Description of property for owner-occupied units:
      • 1 unit with no business
      • 1 unit with a business
      • 2 or more units
    14. About how much does the homeowner think his property would sell for?
    15. If renting, what is the monthly rent? If rent is paid over some other period of time, what is that rent and period of time?
    16. For farm residents, is this house:
      • On a city lot
      • On a place of less than ten acres
      • On a place of ten or more acres
    17. If the farm was not on a city lot:
      • If on a place of less than ten acres:
        • Last year, did sales of crops, livestock, or other farm products from this place amount to:
          1. $250 or more
          2. Less that $250 or none
      • If on a place of ten or more acres:
        • Last year, did sales of crops, livestock, or other farm products from this place amount to:
          1. $50 or more
          2. Less than $50 or none
  2. Beginning with question 18, residents filled in information on the questionnaire themselves.
    1. How many bedrooms are in the house or apartment?
    2. About when was this house originally built?
    3. How is the person's house or apartment heated?
      • Steam or hot water
      • Warm air furnace with individual room registers
      • Floor, wall, or pipeless furnace
      • Built-in electrical units
      • Room heaters connected to a chimney or flue
      • Room heaters not connected to a chimney or flue
      • Other method
    4. From this list of fuels, which does the household use for house heating, cooking, and water heating?
      • Coal or coke
      • Wood
      • Utility gas from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
      • Bottled, tank, or LP gas
      • Electricity
      • Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.
      • Other fuel
      • No fuel use
    5. Does the household have an unshared clothes washing machine?
      • Machine with wringer or separate spinner
      • Automatic or semi-automatic machine
      • Washer-dryer combination (single unit)
      • No washing machine
    6. Does the household have an electric or gas clothes dryer?
      • Electrically heated dryer
      • Gas heated dryer
      • No dryer
    7. Does the household have any television units?
      • One set
      • Two sets or more
      • No television sets
    8. Does the household have any radios?
      • One radio
      • Two radios or more
      • No radios
    9. Does the household have air conditioning?
      • Room unit - one only
      • Room units - two or more
      • Central air conditioning system
      • No air conditioning
    10. Does the household have a home food freezer which is separate from its refrigerator?
    11. How many bathrooms are in the house or apartment?
      • No bathroom, or only a partial bathroom
      • One complete bathroom
      • One complete bathroom, plus partial bathrooms
      • Two or more complete bathrooms
    12. Is this house built:
      • With a basement
      • On a concrete slab
      • Another way
    13. Does this building have:
      • Three stories or less
      • Four stories or more:
        • With an elevator
        • Walk-up
    14. Is there a telephone on which people who live in the household can be called? If so, what is the telephone number?
    15. How many passenger automobiles are owned or regularly used by people who live at the household?
      • No automobile
      • One automobile
      • Two automobiles
      • Three automobiles or more
    16. If the household lives in a trailer, is it mobile or on a permanent foundation?
  3. The following questions were for renters only.
    1. In addition to rent does the household also pay for electricity? Gas? Water?
    2. If yes, what is the monthly cost for each?
    3. In addition to rent, does the household also pay for oil, coal, kerosene, or wood?
    4. If yes, what is the yearly cost for each?

1970 Census ↑

Population Census (1970)

The 1970 census was the first to operate on a true mail-out mail-back system. Because enumerators were only sent out to collect information from non-responding residents, the census questionnaire was designed to be filled out by the members of each household. The first eight questions were asked of every resident. All following questions, including the entire census of housing, were asked of a sample of either five, fifteen, or twenty percent of residents. The questionnaires collected the following information, listed by question number:

Population

  1. The following questions comprised the "short form," and were of all residents.
    1. Name
    2. Relationship to head of the household
    3. Sex
    4. Color or race
    5. Month and year of birth, age at last birthday
    6. Month of birth
    7. Year of birth
    8. Marital status
    9. The questionnaire provided eight spots for members of a household. If all eight were used, are there more members of this household?
    10. Was anyone left out of the list of household members because there was some question about whether or not he or she should be listed?
    11. Was anyone listed who is away from home right now?
    12. Did anyone stay here on March 31 who is not already listed?
  2. The following questions were asked of only a sample of respondents.
    1. Where was this person born?
      1. Is this person's origin or descent:
        • Mexican
        • Puerto Rican
        • Cuban
        • Central or South American
        • Other Spanish
        • None of these
    2. What country was the person's father born in?
    3. What country was the person's mother born in?
    4. For persons born in a foreign country- Is the person naturalized?
      1. When did the person come to the United States to stay?
    5. What language, other than English, was spoken in the person's home as a child?
      • Spanish
      • French
      • German
      • Other
      • None, only English
    6. When did this person move into his house or apartment?
    7. Did this person live in this house on April 1, 1965?
      • If no, where did he live on April 1, 1965?
    8. Since February 1, 1970, has this person attended regular school or college at any time?
      • No
      • Yes, public
      • Yes, parochial
      • Yes, other private
    9. What is the highest grade (or year) of school that this person has ever attended?
    10. Did this person finish the highest grade he attended?
    11. When was this person born?
      • Before April 1956 (please go on with questions 24 through 41)
      • April 1956 or later (population questions end here)
    12. Has this person been married more than once?
      • When did he get married, or married for the first time?
      • If the person had been married more than once, did the first marriage end because of the death of his spouse?
    13. If the person is a girl or a woman, how many babies has she ever had, not counting stillbirths?
    14. If the person is a man, has he ever served in the Army, Navy, or other Armed Forces of the United States?
      1. Was it during the:
        • Vietnam Conflict
        • Korean War
        • World War II
        • World War I
        • Any other time
    15. Has this person ever completed a vocational training program?
      1. If yes, what was the person's main field of vocational training?
        • Business or other office work
        • Nursing or other health fields
        • Trades and crafts (mechanic, electrician, beautician, etc.)
        • Engineering or science technician; draftsman
        • Agriculture or home economics
        • Other
    16. Does this person have a health or physical condition which limits the kind or amount of work he can do at a job? If the person is 65 years or older, skip to question 29.
      1. Does the person's health or physical condition keep him from holding any job at all?
      2. If "Yes" to either part, how long has the person been limited in his ability to work?
    17. Did this person work at any time last week? (If no, the person was to skip to question 30)
      1. If yes, how many hours did the person work last week?
      2. Where did the person work last week?
        1. Address
        2. Name of city, town, village, etc.
        3. Inside of the limits of this city, town, or village?
        4. County
        5. State
        6. Zip code
      3. How did the person get to work last week?
        • Driver, private auto
        • Passenger, private auto
        • Bus or streetcar
        • Subway or elevated
        • Railroad
        • Taxicab
        • Walked only
        • Worked at home
        • Other means
  3. After completing this question, the person was to skip to question 33.
    1. Does this person have a job or business from which he was temporarily absent or on layoff last week?
    2. Has the person been looking for work during the past four weeks?
      1. If yes, was there any reason the person could not take a job last week?
        • Yes, already had a job
        • Yes, because of this person's temporary illness
        • Yes, for other reasons (in school, etc.)
        • No, could have taken a job
    3. When did the person last work at all, even for a few days?
    4. For whom did the the person work?
      1. What kind of business or industry was this?
      2. Was this work mainly:
        • Manufacturing
        • Wholesale trade
        • Retail trade
        • Other
    5. What kind of work was the person doing?
      1. What were the person's most important activities and duties?
      2. What was the person's job title?
    6. Was this person an:
      • Employee of a private company
      • Federal government employee
      • State government employee
      • Local government employee
      • Self-employed in an incorporated business
      • Self-employed in an unincorporated business
      • Working without pay in a family business or farm
    7. In April 1965, what state did this person live in?
    8. In April 1965, was this person:
      • Working at a job or business
      • In the Armed Forces
      • Attending college
    9. If working at a job or business in April 1965, describe this person's chief activity or business at that time?
      1. What kind of business or industry was this?
      2. What kind of work was the person doing?
      3. Was the person an employee of a private company or government agency or self-employed or an unpaid family worker?
    10. Last year, did the person work at all, even for a few days?
      1. If yes, how many weeks did the person work in 1969?
    11. Earnings in 1969:
      1. How much did this person earn in 1969 in wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips from all jobs?
      2. How much did this person earn in 1969 from his own non-farm business, professional practice, or partnership?
      3. How much did he earn in 1969 from his own farm?
    12. Income other than earnings in 1969:
      1. How much did this person receive in 1969 from Social Security or Railroad Retirement?
      2. How much did this person receive in 1969 from public assistance or welfare payments?
      3. How much did this person receive in 1969 from all other sources?

Housing Census (1970)

The first 13 questions on the 1970 census housing questionnaire were asked of all households. The rest were asked of either a 5 or 15 percent sample, with some overlap. As with previous housing questionnaires, most questions had only a list of items for the respondent to choose from; these items are listed where relevant. The 1970 census of housing collected the following information, listed by question number:

  1. The following questions were asked of all households.
    1. How many living quarters, occupied or vacant, are at this address?
    2. Is there a telephone on which people in your living quarters can be called? If so, what is that number?
    3. Do you enter your living quarters:
      • Directly from the outside or through a common or public hall?
      • Through someone else's living quarters?
    4. Do you have complete (a sink with piped water, a range or cook stove, and a refrigerator) kitchen facilities?
      • Yes, for this household only
      • Yes, but also used by another household
      • No complete kitchen for this household
    5. How many rooms do you have in your living quarters, not counting bathrooms?
    6. Is there hot and cold piped water in this building?
      • Yes, hot and cold piped water in this building
      • No, only cold piped water in this building
      • No piped water in this building
    7. Do you have a flush toilet?
      • Yes, for this household only
      • Yes, but also used by another household
      • No flush toilet for this household
    8. Do you have a bathtub or shower?
      • Yes, for this household only
      • Yes, but also used by another household
      • No bathtub or shower
    9. Is there a basement in this building?
      • Yes
      • No, built on a concrete slab
      • No, built in another way (Including mobile homes and trailers)
    10. Are your living quarters:
      • Owned or being bought by you or someone else in this household?
      • A cooperative or condominium which is owned or bought by you or someone else in this household?
      • Rented for cash rent
      • Occupied without the payment of cash rent
    11. Is this building a one family house?
      • No, a building for 2 or more families or a mobile home or trailer.
      • Yes
        1. If yes, is this house on a place of 10 acres or more, or is any part of this property used as a commercial establishment or office?
    12. If you live in a one family house which you own or are buying- What is the value of this property? That is, how much do you think this property (house and lot) would sell for if it were for sale?
    13. If you pay rent:
      1. What is the monthly rent?
      2. If rent is not paid by the month, what is the rent and what period of time does it cover?
  2. The following questions were asked of a sample of respondents.
    1. If paying rent, in addition to the rent you listed in question 13, do you also pay for:
      1. Electricity?
        • Yes, the average monthly cost is:
        • No, included in the rent
        • No, electricity is not used
      2. Gas?
        • Yes, the average monthly cost is:
        • No, included in the rent
        • No, gas is not used
      3. Water?
        • Yes, the average monthly cost is:
        • No, included in the rent
        • No, water is not used
      4. Oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc?
        • Yes, the average monthly cost is:
        • No, included in the rent
        • No, these fuels not used
    2. How are your living quarters heated?
      • Steam or hot water system
      • Central warm air furnace with ducts to individual rooms, or central heat pump
      • Built-in electric units
      • Floor, wall, or pipeless furnace
      • Room heaters with flue or vent, burning gas, oil or kerosene
      • Room heaters without flue or vent, burning gas, oil or kerosene
      • Fireplaces, stoves, or portable room heaters of any kind
      • Other
      • None, unit has no heating equipment
    3. About when was this building originally built?
    4. Which best describes this building?
      • A one-family house detached from any other house
      • A one-family house attached to one or more houses
      • A building for 2 families
      • A building for 3 or 4 families
      • A building for 5 to 9 families
      • A building for 10 to 19 families
      • A building for 20 to 49 families
      • A building for 50 or more families
      • A mobile home or trailer
      • Other
    5. Is this building:
      • On a city or suburban lot
      • On a place of less than 10 acres
      • On a place of 10 acres or more
    6. Last year, how much did sales of crops and livestock and other farm products amount to?
    7. Do you get water from:
      • A public system
      • An individual well
      • Some other source
    8. Is the building connected to a public sewer?
      • Yes, connected to a public sewer
      • No, connected to a septic tank or cesspool
      • No, use other means
    9. How many bathrooms (partial and complete) do you have?
    10. Do you have air conditioning?
      • Yes, 1 individual room unit
      • Yes, 2 or more individual room units
      • Yes, a central air-conditioning system
      • No
    11. How many passenger automobiles are owned or regularly used by members of your household?
      • None
      • 1 automobile
      • 2 automobiles
      • 3 automobiles or more
    12. How many stories (floors) in this building?
      1. If more than four stories, does the building have an elevator?
    13. Fuel:
      1. Which fuel is used for cooking?
        • Gas from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
        • Gas from bottles, tank, or LP
        • Electricity
        • Fuel, kerosene, etc.
        • Coal or coke
        • Wood
        • Other fuel
        • No fuel used
      2. Which fuel is used most for house heating?
        • Gas from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
        • Gas from bottles, tank, or LP
        • Electricity
        • Fuel, kerosene, etc.
        • Coal or coke
        • Wood
        • Other fuel
        • No fuel used
      3. Which fuel is used most for water heating?
        • Gas from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
        • Gas from bottles, tank, or LP
        • Electricity
        • Fuel, kerosene, etc.
        • Coal or coke
        • Wood
        • Other fuel
        • No fuel used
    14. How many bedrooms do you have?
    15. Appliances:
      1. Do you have a clothes washing machine?
        • Yes, automatic or semi-automatic
        • Yes, wringer or separate spinner
        • No
      2. Do you have a clothes dryer?
        • Yes, electrically heated
        • Yes, gas heated
        • No
      3. Do you have a dishwasher?
      4. Do you have a home food freezer which is separate from your refrigerator?
    16. Do you have a television set?
      • Yes, one set
      • Yes, two or more sets
      • No
        • If yes, is any set equipped to receive UHF broadcasts, that is, channels 14 through 83?
    17. Do you have a battery-operated radio?
    18. Do you (or any member of your family) own a second home or other living quarters which you occupy sometime during the year?

1980 Census ↑

Population Census (1980)

  1. The following questions were asked of all respondents:
    1. Name
    2. Relationship to first person listed on the questionnaire
    3. Sex
    4. Race
    5. Age at last birthday?
      1. Month of birth
      2. Year of birth
    6. Marital status
    7. Is this person of Spanish/Hispanic origin or descent
    8. Since February 1, 1980, has this person attended regular school or college?
    9. What is the highest grade (or year) of regular school this person has ever attended?
    10. Did this person finish the highest grade (or year) attended?
  2. The following questions were asked of a sample of respondents:
    1. In what state or foreign country was the person born?
    2. If this person was born in a foreign country:
      1. Is this person a naturalized citizen of the United States?
      2. When did this person come the the United States to stay?
    3. Does this person speak a language other than English at home?
      1. If yes, what is this language?
      2. If yes, how well does this person speak English?
    4. What is this person's ancestry?
    5. Did this person live in this house five years ago?
      1. If no, where did this person live five years ago?
    6. When was this person born?
      • Before April 1965 (continue with questions 17 - 33)
      • April 1965 or later (answer no more questions)
    7. In April 1975 was this person:
      1. On active duty in the Armed Forces?
      2. Attending college?
      3. Working at a job or business? If yes, full time or part time?
    8. Is this person a veteran of active-duty military service in the Armed Forces of the United States?
      1. Was active duty military service during:
        • May 1975 or later
        • Vietnam era (August 1964 - April 1975)
        • February 1955 - July 1964
        • Korean conflict (June 1950 - January 1955)
        • World War II (September 1940 - July 1947)
        • World War I (April 1917 - November 1918)
        • Any other time
    9. Does this person have a physical, mental, or other health condition which has lasted for 6 or more months and which:
      1. Limits the kind or amount of work this person can do at a job?
      2. Prevents this person from working at a job?
      3. Limits or prevents this person from using public transportation?
    10. If this person is a female, how many babies has she ever had, not counting stillbirths?
    11. If this person has ever been married:
      1. Has this person been married more than once?
      2. Month and year of marriage or first marriage
      3. If married more than once, did the first marriage end because of the death of the husband (or wife)?
    12. Did this person work at any time last week?
      1. How many hours did this person work last week (at all jobs)?
    13. At what location did this person work last week?
      1. Address
      2. Name of city, town, village, or borough
      3. Is the place inside the incorporated (legal) limits of that city, town, village, or borough?
      4. County
      5. State
      6. ZIP Code
    14. Last week, how long did it usually take this person to get from home to work (one way)?
      1. How did this person usually get to work last week?
        • Car
        • Truck
        • Van
        • Bus or streetcar
        • Railroad
        • Subway or elevated
        • Taxicab
        • Motorcycle
        • Bicycle
        • Walked only
        • Worked at home
        • Other
      2. If the person uses a car, truck, or van when going to work last week, did this person usually:
        • Drive alone
        • Share driving
        • Dive others only
        • Ride as a passenger only
      3. If the person does not drive alone, how many people, including this person, usually rode to work in the car, truck, or van last week?
    15. If this person was not at work last week, was this person temporarily absent or on layoff from a job or business last week?
    16. Has this person been looking for work during the last four weeks?
      1. If yes, could this person have taken a job last week?
    17. When did this person last work, even for a few days?
    18. Industry:
      1. From whom did this person work?
      2. What kind of business or industry was this?
      3. Is this job mainly:
        • Manufacturing
        • Wholesale trade
        • Retail trade
        • Other
    19. Occupation:
      1. What kind of work was this person doing?
      2. What were this person's most important activities or duties?
    20. Was this person:
      • Employee of a private company, business, or individual, for wages, salary, or commissions
      • Federal government employee
      • State government employee
      • Local government employee
      • Self-employed in own business:
        • Own business not incorporated
        • Own business incorporated
      • Working without pay in family business or farm
    21. Last year (1979), did this person work, even for a few days, at a paid job or in a business or farm?
      1. If yes, how many weeks did this person work in 1979?
      2. During the weeks worked in 1979, how many hours did this person usually work each week?
      3. Of the weeks not worked in 1979 (if any), how many weeks was this person looking for work or on layoff from a job?
    22. Income in 1979 from:
      1. Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips from all jobs
      2. Own non-farm business, partnership, or professional practice
      3. Own farm
      4. Interest, dividends, royalties, or net rental income
      5. Social Security or Railroad Retirement
      6. Supplemental Security (SSI), Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), or other public assistance or public welfare payments
      7. Unemployment compensation, veterans' payments, pensions, alimony, child support, or any other sources of income received regularly
    23. What was this person's total income from 1979?

Housing Census (1980)

The first 12 questions on the housing section of the 1980 census questionnaire were asked of all respondents. The rest were asked only to a sample.

  1. The following information was collected from all respondents:
    1. Did you leave anyone out of Question 1 [in the population section of the questionnaire] because you were not sure if the person should be listed?
    2. Did you list anyone in Question 1 who is away from home right now?
    3. Is anyone visiting here who is not already listed?
    4. How many living quarters, occupied or vacant, are at this address?
    5. Do you enter your living quarters:
      • Directly from the outside or through a common or public hall?
      • Through someone else's living quarters?
    6. Do you have complete plumbing facilities in your living quarters, that is, hot and cold piped water, a flush toilet, and a bathtub or shower?
      • Yes, for this household only
      • Yes, but also used by another household
      • No, have some but not all plumbing facilities
      • No plumbing facilities in living quarters
    7. How many rooms do you have in your living quarters?
    8. Are your living quarters:
      • Owned or being bought by you or by someone else in this household?
      • Rented for cash rent?
      • Occupied without payment of cash rent?
    9. Is this apartment (house) part of a condominium?
    10. If this is a one family house:
      1. Is this house on a property of 10 or more acres?
      2. Is any part of the property used as a commercial establishment or medical office?
    11. If you live in a single family home or a condominium unit which you own or are buying, what is the value of this property, that is, how much do you think this property (house and lot or condominium) would sell for if it were for sale?
    12. If you pay rent for your living quarters, what is the monthly rent?
  2. The following questions were asked on a sample basis:
    1. Which best describes this building?
      • A mobile home or trailer
      • A one-family house detached from any other house
      • A one-family house attached to one or more houses
      • A building for 2 families
      • A building for 3 or 4 families
      • A building for 5 to 9 families
      • A building for 10 to 19 families
      • A building for 20 to 49 families
      • A building for 50 or more families
      • A boat, tent, van, etc.
    2. How many stories (floors) in this building?
      1. If more than four stories, does the building have an elevator?
    3. Is this building:
        • On a city or suburban lot, or on a place of less than 1 acre
        • On a place of 1 to 9 acres
        • On a place of 10 acres or more
      1. Last year (1979) how much did sales of crops, livestock, and other farm products from this place amount to?
    4. Do you get water from:
      • A public system (city water department, etc.) or private company
      • An individual drilled well
      • An individual dug well
      • Some other source
    5. Is this building connected to the public sewer?
      • Yes, connected to public sewer
      • No, connected to septic tank or cesspool
      • No, use other means
    6. About when was this building originally built?
    7. When did the person listed in column 1 move into this house or apartment?
    8. How are your living quarters heated?
      • Steam or hot water system
      • Central warm air furnace with ducts to individual rooms
      • Electric heat pump
      • Other built-in electric units
      • Floor, wall, or pipeless furnace
      • Room heaters with flue or vent, burning gas, oil or kerosene
      • Room heaters without flue or vent, burning gas, oil or kerosene
      • Fireplaces, stoves, or portable room heaters of any kind
      • No heating equipment
    9. Fuel:
      1. Which fuel is used most for house heating?
        • Gas from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
        • Gas: bottled, tank, or LP
        • Electricity
        • Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.
        • Coal or coke
        • Wood
        • Other fuel
        • No fuel used
      2. Which fuel is used most for water heating?
        • Gas from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
        • Gas: bottled, tank, or LP
        • Electricity
        • Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.
        • Coal or coke
        • Wood
        • Other fuel
        • No fuel used
      3. Which fuel is used most for cooking?
        • Gas from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
        • Gas: bottled, tank, or LP
        • Electricity
        • Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.
        • Coal or coke
        • Wood
        • Other fuel
        • No fuel used
    10. What are the costs of utilities and other fuels in your living quarters?
      1. Electricity
      2. Gas
      3. Water
      4. Oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.
    11. Do you have complete (a sink with piped water, a range or cook stove, and a refrigerator) kitchen facilities?
    12. How many bedrooms do you have?
    13. How many bathrooms do you have?
    14. Do you have a telephone in your living quarters?
    15. Do you have air conditioning?
      • Yes, 1 individual room unit
      • Yes, 2 or more individual room units
      • Yes, a central air-conditioning system
      • No
    16. How many passenger automobiles are owned or regularly used by members of your household?
      • None
      • 1 automobile
      • 2 automobiles
      • 3 automobiles or more
    17. How many vans or trucks of one-ton capacity or less are kept at home for used by members of your household?
  3. These questions were for owners of one-family homes only, not including mobile homes, houses on 10 or more acres, condominium units, or houses with commercial establishments on property:
    1. What were the real estate taxes on this property last year?
    2. What is the annual premium for fire and hazard insurance on this property?
    3. Do you have a mortgage, deed of trust, contract to purchase, or similar debt on this property?
      1. If yes, do you have a second or junior mortgage on this property?
      2. How much is your total regular monthly payment to the lender?
      3. Does your regular monthly payment include payments for real estate taxes on this property?
      4. Does your regular monthly payment include payments for fire and hazard insurance on this property?

1990 Census ↑

Population Census (1990)

The 1990 census asked only seven population and seven housing questions. A sample of respondents received the "long form," which included 23 more population inquiries. The 1990 census collected the following information, listed by question number:

  1. The following questions were asked of all respondents:
    1. Name
    2. Relationship to person in column 1
    3. Sex
    4. Race
    5. Age and year of birth
    6. Marital Status
    7. Is this person on Hispanic or Spanish origin?
  2. The following questions were asked of a sample of respondents:
    1. In what U.S. State or foreign country was this person born?
    2. Is this person a citizen of the United States?
    3. If this person was not born in the United States, when did this person come to the United States to stay?
    4. At any time since February 1, 1990, has this person attended regular school or college?
    5. How much school has this person completed?
    6. What is this person's ancestry or ethnic origin?
    7. Did this person live in this house or apartment 5 years ago?
      1. If no, where did this person live 5 years ago?
    8. Does this person speak a language other than English at home?
      1. If yes, what is this language?
      2. If yes, how well does this person speak English?
    9. Has this person ever been in active-duty military service in the Armed Forces of the United States or ever been in the United States military Reserves or the National Guard?
      1. If on active-duty, was it during:
        • September 1980 or later
        • May 1975 to August 1980
        • Vietnam era (August 1964 - April 1975)
        • February 1955 - July 1964
        • Korean conflict (June 1950 - January 1955)
        • World War II (September 1940 - July 1947)
        • World War I (April 1917 - November 1918)
        • Any other time
      2. In total, how many years of active-duty military service has this person had?
    10. Does this person have a physical, mental, or other health condition that has lasted for six or more months and which:
      1. Limits the kind or amount of work this person can do at a job?
      2. Prevents this person from working at a job?
    11. Because of a health condition that has lasted for 6 or more months, does this person have any difficulty:
      1. Going outside the home alone, for example, to shop or visit a doctor's office?
      2. Taking care of his or her own personal needs, such as bathing, dressing, or getting around inside the home?
    12. If this person is female, how many babies has she ever had, not including stillbirths?
    13. Did this person work last week?
      1. If yes, how many hours did this person work last week?
    14. At what location did this person work last week?
    15. How did this person usually get to work last week?
        • Car, truck, or van
        • Bus or trolley bus
        • Streetcar or trolley car
        • Subway or elevated
        • Railroad
        • Ferryboat
        • Taxicab
        • Motorcycle
        • Bicycle
        • Walked only
        • Worked at home
        • Other
      1. If the person used a car, truck, or van, how many people, including this person, usually rode to work in the same vehicle last week?
    16. What time did this person usually leave home to go to work last week?
      1. How many minutes did it usually take this person to get from home to work last week?
    17. If this person did not work last week, was he temporarily absent or on layoff from a job or business last week?
    18. Has this person been looking for work during the last four weeks?
      1. If yes, could this person have taken a job last week if one had been offered?
    19. When did this person last work, even for a few days?
    20. Industry or Employer:
      1. From whom did this person work?
      2. What kind of business or industry was this?
      3. Is this job mainly:
        • Manufacturing
        • Wholesale trade
        • Retail trade
        • Other
    21. Occupation:
      1. What kind of work was this person doing?
      2. What were this person's most important activities or duties?
    22. Was this person:
      • Employee of a private for profit company, business, or individual, for wages, salary, or commissions
      • Employee of a private not-for-profit, tax-exempt, or charitable organization
      • Local government employee
      • State government employee
      • Federal government employee
      • Self-employed in own not incorporated business
      • Self-employed in own incorporated business
      • Working without pay in family business or farm
    23. Last year (1989), did this person work, even for a few days, at a paid job or in a business or farm?
      1. If yes, how many weeks did this person work in 1989?
      2. During the weeks worked in 1989, how many hours did this person usually work each week?
    24. Income in 1989:
      1. Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips from all jobs
      2. Self-employment income from own non-farm business, including proprietorship and partnership
      3. Farm self-employment income
      4. Interest, dividends, net rental income or royalty income, or income from estates and trusts
      5. Social Security or Railroad Retirement
      6. Supplemental Security (SSI), Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), or other public assistance or public welfare payments
      7. Retirement, survivor, or disability pensions
      8. Any other sources of income received regularly such as Veterans' (VA) payments, unemployment compensation, child support, or alimony
    25. What was this person's total income in 1989?

Housing Census (1990)

The 1990 census asked only seven housing questions to every respondent. A sample of respondents were asked an additional 19 questions.

  1. The following questions were asked of all respondents:
    1. Did you leave anyone out of your list of persons for Question 1 [in the population section of the questionnaire] because you were not sure if the person should be listed? If yes, list them here.
      1. Did you include anyone on your list of persons for Question 1 [in the population section of the questionnaire] because you were not sure if the person should be listed? If yes, list them here.
    2. Which best describes this building:
      • A mobile home or trailer
      • A one-family house detached from any other house
      • A one-family house attached to one or more houses
      • A building for 2 families
      • A building for 3 or 4 families
      • A building for 5 to 9 families
      • A building for 10 to 19 families
      • A building for 20 to 49 families
      • A building for 50 or more families
      • Other
    3. How many rooms do you have in this house or apartment?
    4. Is this house or apartment:
      • Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan?
      • Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage)?
      • Rented for cash rent?
      • Occupied without payment of cash rent?
    5. Is this house on ten or more acres?
      1. Is there a business (such as a store or barber shop) or medical office on this property?
    6. If someone in this household owns or is buying this house or apartment, what is the value of this property?
    7. If this house or apartment is rented:
      1. What is the monthly rent?
      2. Does the monthly rent include meals?
  2. The following questions were asked to a sample of respondents:
    1. When did the person listed first in Question 1 move into the house or apartment?
    2. How many bedrooms do you have?
    3. Do you have complete plumbing facilities in this house or apartment?
    4. Do you have complete kitchen facilities in this house or apartment?
    5. Do you have a telephone in this house or apartment?
    6. How many automobiles, vans, and trucks of one-ton capacity or less are kept at home for use by members of your household?
    7. Which fuel is used most for heating this house or apartment?
      • Gas from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
      • Gas: bottled, tank, or LP
      • Electricity
      • Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.
      • Coal or coke
      • Wood
      • Solar energy
      • Other fuel
      • No fuel used
    8. Do you get water from:
      • A public system (city water department, etc.) or private company
      • An individual drilled well
      • An individual dug well
      • Some other source such as a spring, creek, river, cistern, etc.
    9. Is this building connected to the public sewer?
      • Yes, connected to public sewer
      • No, connected to septic tank or cesspool
      • No, use other means
    10. About when was this building first built?
    11. Is this house or apartment part of a condominium?
    12. If not part of a condominium:
      1. Is this house on less than one acre?
      2. If on more than one acre, in 1989, what were the actual sales of all agricultural products from this property?
    13. What are the yearly costs of utilities and fuels for this house or apartment?
      1. Electricity
      2. Gas
      3. Water
      4. Oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.
  3. Questions 21 through 26 were to be filled out by the owners of one-family homes, condominiums, or mobile homes only:
    1. What were the real estate taxes on this property last year?
    2. What was the annual payment for fire, hazard, and flood insurance on this property?
    3. Do you have a mortgage, deed or trust, contract to purchase, or similar debt on this property?
      1. If yes, how much is your regular monthly mortgage payment on this property?
      2. Does your regular monthly mortgage payment include payments for real estate taxes on this property?
      3. Does your regular monthly mortgage payment include payments from fire, hazard, or flood insurance on this property?
    4. Do you have a second or junior mortgage or home equity loan on this property?
      1. How much is your regular monthly payment on all second or junior mortgages and all home equity loans?
    5. If this is a condominium, what is the monthly condominium fee?
    6. If this is a mobile home, what was the total cost for property taxes, site rent, registration fees, and license fees on this mobile home and its site last year?

2000 Census ↑

The 2000 census short form asked eight questions to all respondents. The long form, which combined housing and population questions into a single questionnaire, asked an additional 45 questions.

  1. All respondents were asked Questions 1 - 7 and Question 33:
    1. Name
    2. What is this person's telephone number?
    3. Sex
    4. Age and date of birth
    5. Is this person of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino?
    6. Race
    7. Marital Status
  2. The remaining questions, except for question 33, were asked to a sample of the population:
    1. At any time since February 1, 2000, has this person attended regular school or college?
      1. If yes, what grade or level was this person attending?
    2. What is the highest degree or level of school this person has completed?
    3. What is this person's ancestry or ethnic origin?
    4. Does this person speak a language other than English at home?
      1. What is this language?
      2. How well does this person speak English?
    5. What state or country was this person from?
    6. Is this person a citizen of the United States?
    7. If the person was not born in the United States, when did he come to live in the United States?
    8. Did this person live in this house or apartment 5 years ago?
      1. Where did this person live 5 years ago?
    9. Does this person have any of the following long-lasting conditions:
      1. Blindness, deafness, or a severe vision or hearing impairment?
      2. A condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying?
    10. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting six months or more, does this person have any difficulty in doing any of the following activities:
      1. Learning, remembering, or concentrating?
      2. Dressing, bathing, getting around inside the home?
      3. If the person is 16 years or older, going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctor's office?
      4. If the person is 16 years or older, working at a job or business?
    11. Was this person under 15 years of age on April 1, 2000?
      • If yes, skip to Question 33.
    12. Does this person have any of his/her own grandchildren under the age of 18 living in this house or apartment?
      1. If yes, is this grandparent currently responsible for most of the basic needs of any grandchildren under the age of 18 who live in this house or apartment?
      2. How long has this grandparent been responsible for these grandchildren?
    13. Has this person ever served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, military Reserves, or National Guard?
      1. When did this person serve on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces?
        • April 1995 or later
        • August 1990 to March 1995 (including Persian Gulf War)
        • September 1980 to July 1990
        • May 1975 to August 1980
        • Vietnam era (August 1964 - April 1975)
        • February 1955 - July 1964
        • Korean conflict (June 1950 - January 1955)
        • World War II (September 1940 - July 1947)
        • Any other time
      2. In total, how many years of active-duty military service has this person had?
    14. Last week, did this person do any work for either pay or profit?
    15. At what location did this person work last week?
    16. How did this person usually get to work last week?
        • Car, truck, or van
        • Bus or trolley bus
        • Streetcar or trolley car
        • Subway or elevated
        • Railroad
        • Ferryboat
        • Taxicab
        • Motorcycle
        • Bicycle
        • Walked only
        • Worked at home
        • Other
      1. If the person used a car, truck, or van, how many people, including this person, usually rode to work in the same vehicle last week?
    17. What time did this person usually leave home to go to work last week?
      1. How many minutes did it usually take this person to get from home to work last week?
    18. Last week, was this person on layoff from a job?
      1. Last week, was this person temporarily absent from a job or business?
      2. If on layoff, has this person been informed that he or she will be recalled to work within the next 6 months or been given a date to return to work?
      3. If no, has this person been looking for work during the last 4 weeks?
      4. Lastweek, could this person have started a job if offered one, or returned to work if recalled?
    19. When did this person last work, even for a few days?
    20. Industry or Employer:
      1. For whom did this person work?
      2. What kind of business or industry was this?
      3. Is this job mainly:
        • Manufacturing
        • Wholesale trade
        • Retail trade
        • Other
    21. Occupation:
      1. What kind of work was this person doing?
      2. What were this person's most important activities or duties?
    22. Was this person:
      • Employee of a private for profit company, business, or individual, for wages, salary, or commissions
      • Employee of a private not-for-profit, tax-exempt, or charitable organization
      • Local government employee
      • State government employee
      • Federal government employee
      • Self-employed in own not incorporated business
      • Self-employed in own incorporated business
      • Working without pay in family business or farm
    23. Last year, 1999, did this person work at a job or business at any time?
      1. How many weeks did this person work in 1999?
      2. During the weeks worked in 1999, how many hours did this person usually work each week?
    24. Income in 1999:
      1. Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips from all jobs
      2. Self-employment income from own non-farm businesses or farm businesses, including proprietorship and partnership
      3. Interest, dividends, net rental income or royalty income, or income from estates and trusts
      4. Social Security or Railroad Retirement
      5. Supplemental Security (SSI)
      6. Any public assistance or welfare payments from the state or local welfare offices
      7. Retirement, survivor, or disability pensions
      8. Any other sources of income received regularly such as Veterans' (VA) payments, unemployment compensation, child support, or alimony
    25. What was this person's total income in 1989?
    26. Is this house, apartment, or mobile home:
      • Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan?
      • Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
      • Rented for cash rent?
      • Occupied without payment of cash rent?
    27. Which best describes this building?
      • A mobile home or trailer
      • A one-family house detached from any other house
      • A one-family house attached to one or more houses
      • A building for 2 families
      • A building for 3 or 4 families
      • A building for 5 to 9 families
      • A building for 10 to 19 families
      • A building for 20 to 49 families
      • A building for 50 or more families
      • Boat, RV, van, etc.
    28. About when was this building first built?
    29. When did this person move into this house, apartment, or mobile home?
    30. How many rooms do you have in this house, apartment, or mobile home?
    31. How many bedrooms do you have in this house, apartment or mobile home?
    32. Do you have complete plumbing facilities in this house, apartment or mobile home?
    33. Do you have complete kitchen facilities in this house, apartment or mobile home?
    34. Is there telephone service available in this house, apartment, or mobile home from which you can both make and receive calls?
    35. Which fuel is used most for heating this house or apartment?
      • Gas from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
      • Gas: bottled, tank, or LP
      • Electricity
      • Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.
      • Coal or coke
      • Wood
      • Solar energy
      • Other fuel
      • No fuel used
    36. How many automobiles, vans, and trucks of one-ton capacity or less are kept at home for use by members of your household?
    37. If this is a one family house or mobile home:
      1. Is there a business (such as a store or barber shop) on the property?
      2. How many acres is this house or mobile home on?
      3. in 1999, what were the actual sales of all agricultural products from this property?
    38. What are the yearly costs of utilities and fuels for this house apartment, or mobile home?
      1. Electricity
      2. Gas
      3. Water
      4. Oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.
    39. If you pay rent:
      1. What is the monthly rent?
      2. Does the monthly rent include any meals?
  3. Answer Questions 47 - 53 only if you or someone in this household owns or is buying this house, apartment, or mobile home:
    1. Do you have a mortgage, deed or trust, contract to purchase, or similar debt on this property?
      1. If yes, how much is your regular monthly mortgage payment on this house?
      2. Does your regular monthly mortgage payment include payments from real estate taxes on this property?
    2. Do you have a second mortgage or a home equity loan on this property?
      1. How much is your regular monthly payment on all second or junior mortgages and all home equity loans on this property?
    3. What were the real estate taxes on this property last year?
    4. What was the annual payment for fire, hazard, and flood insurance on this property?
    5. What is the value of this property? That is, how much do you think this house and lot, apartment, or mobile home and lot would sell for if it were on sale?
    6. If this property is a condominium, what is the monthly condominium fee?
    7. If this property is a mobile home:
      • Do you have an installment loan or contract on this mobile home?
      • What was the total cost for installment loan payments, personal property taxes, site rent, registration fees, and license fees on this mobile home and its site last year?

2010 Census ↑

For the 2010 census, the long- and short-form questionnaires used from 1940 to 2000 were replaced by a single questionnaire asking 10 questions. The questions asked by the long-form questionnaire are now asked by the annual American Community Survey.

  1. The 2010 census asked the following ten questions:
    1. How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010?
    2. Were there any additional people staying here April 1, 2010 that you did not include in Question 1?
    3. Is this house, apartment, or mobile home: owned with mortgage, owned without mortgage, rented, occupied without rent?
    4. What is your telephone number?
    5. Please provide information for each person living here. Start with a person here who owns or rents this house, apartment, or mobile home. If the owner or renter lives somewhere else, start with any adult living here. This will be Person 1. What is Person 1's name?
    6. What is Person 1's sex?
    7. What is Person 1's age and Date of Birth?
    8. Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?
    9. What is Person 1's race?
    10. Does Person 1 sometimes live or stay somewhere else?
  2. Repeat Questions 5-10 for every additional person.