ZCTAs for the entire United States and Puerto Rico will be available in the Census 2000 TIGER/Line® files. ZCTAs are stored in Record Type S, which stores codes that relate to TIGER polygons. Generalized boundary files, including ZCTAs, that are appropriate for small-scale thematic mapping. These files are available for downloading from the Census Bureau's Cartographic Boundary Files site in the following formats: ARC/INFO Export (.e00), Arcview Shape (.shp), and ASCII.

ZCTAs are generalized approximations of USPS five-digit ZIP Codes. There are no plans to create subdivisions of five-digit ZCTAs that approximate the USPS ZIP+4 sector-segment codes.

Census 2000 data will be disseminated mainly using a new data retrieval system called the American FactFinder (AFF). Census 2000 data products will be available on a flow basis beginning January 2001. The American FactFinder will be accessible to the widest possible array of users through the Internet, through intermediaries, including the nearly 1,800 State Data Centers and affiliates, the 1,400 Federal Depository libraries and other libraries, universities, and private organizations.

The Census 2000 Partnership and Marketing Program was a multi-faceted effort to remind the general population about the census, educate those members of the public who do not understand the purpose of the census and its significance to their communities, and motivate them to complete their census questionnaires. The Census Bureau recognizes that different segments of the population respond in different ways and with different levels of trust and willingness to participate in the census.

Although there are many aspects of Census 2000 that are different from the 1990 Census, the key differences were Created a new "user-friendly" questionnaire that was simpler and easier for respondents to understand and fill out. Digitally captured of forms enabling us to scan responses directly into computers that can read handwriting. Used "matching" software that allows us to check individual blocks and identify multiple responses from the same household.

We will begin delivery of these data in March 2001 and we will complete delivery to the governor and majority and minority legislative leaders in each state by April 1, 2001. We will do all that is possible to consider each state’s redistricting deadlines as we plan the sequence of our data processing. Already we have confirmed with each state legislature any deadlines the state faces.

Only one new subject was added to the Census 2000 questionnaire: grandparents as caregivers. This addition complies with legislation passed by the 104th Congress requiring that the decennial census obtain information about grandparents who have primary responsibility for care of grandchildren (Title 13, United States Code, Chapter 5, Section 141).

For a certification involving information produced by the Census Bureau, a customer can print off the request form on the certification web page and fax it to the Customer Services Center (301-457-3842). You can also submit the request via e-mail (MSO.Certify@census.gov) or over the phone (301-763-INFO). There is a fee for this service.

For Census 2000 the Census Bureau included overseas counts in the census using definitions and procedures similar to those used in 1990. U. S. military and federal civilian personnel stationed overseas and their dependents living with them were included in the overseas population counts and the Census 2000 apportionment counts. Included in these counts were members of the U.S. Armed Forces on military vessels assigned to a home port in a foreign country and their dependents overseas with them.

The major features of automation for Census 2000 include data capture methodology that accommodated the use of respondent-friendly questionnaires. The Census Bureau has identified components of the data capture process that may be best performed by private-sector partners although it did not limit itself to creating in-house solutions. The Census Bureau took advantage of available commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software representing advancements in information technology and systems.

The address list and related maps are the foundation of a complete and accurate census. Some of the people not counted in the 1990 census were missed because the Census Bureau did not know their housing units existed. A complete address list will ensure that Census 2000 will be accurate. Up-to-date maps helped the Census Bureau verify where each housing unit was located.

Census 2000 is already under way, though not without controversy. After a lengthy disagreement on how to count urban areas that have traditionally been under-counted, Congress has allocated funds for the decennial census enumeration.

Even though the codes may appear the same, the addresses and areas covered by these areas may not be the same. We strongly advise data users who wish to compare 1990 and 2000 data to determine and evaluate any coverage differences that exist before making any comparisons. There are several reasons for this caution: The USPS has extensively modified ZIP Codes over the last ten years.

The TIGER/Line files that should be used with the 2000 Census data are those in the TIGER/Line 2000 release. These files are available for downloading for free from the Census Bureau’s website. Go to the TIGER page http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/ for links to the files and the documentation.

There are several options for determining the census 2000 tract, block group or block number for a given area. The most convenient method for determining census tracts and block groups for those with Internet access is to visit the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder website http://factfinder.census.gov/. There one can view a map of the area of interest and select the types of boundaries to be shown, including tract and block group.

For Census 2000, the Census Bureau has proposed subjects on the short form only when data are both needed in response to legislative requirements and required at the block level - the smallest level of geography for which we report information. Therefore, we moved five subjects that were asked of every housing unit in 1990 to the long form, which went out to a sample of housing units in 2000.

Answer: Data on race from Census 2000 are not directly comparable with those from the 1990 census and previous censuses due, in large part, to giving respondents the option to report more than one race. Other factors, such as reversing the order of the questions on race and Hispanic origin and changing question wording and format, also may affect comparability.

On the Main page of FactFinder, click Decennial Census under About the Data. Detailed information about Census 2000 data products can be found in the Technical Documentation. FactFinder provides a link to the Technical Documentation for each data set on the Data Sets page.

Geographic descriptions of ZCTAs will initially appear in the Census 2000 TIGER/Line® files in the third quarter of 2001. Tabulations containing ZCTAs appeared on the Internet and in CD-ROM products beginning with Summary File 1 (SF1) in the summer of 2001 and in Summary File 3 (SF3) released in the summer of 2002. See the Census 2000 Products and Overview page for more details.

There are 33,178 ZCTAs nationwide (all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico), including generic three-digit ZCTAs. Of that total, 32,038 ZCTAs carry the full five-digit numeric ZIP Code. The remainder will have a generic code ending in either “HH” or “ XX” suffix.

Discontiguous parts of ZCTAs may represent offshore islands. In other situations, they may result from using census blocks to build ZCTAs. United States Postal Service (USPS) carrier routes tend to extend out along the local street network. Addresses along a street may have one ZIP Code while addresses along the cross streets have another.

Currently, there are no restrictions limiting how large or small a ZCTA can be in terms of either a minimum/maximum number of housing units or geographic area. ZCTAs reflect the areas where we find addresses with the specified ZIP Code. As a result, ZCTAs may be as small as a few city blocks or cover many square miles.

For the 2003 TIGER/Line® files, the U.S. Census Bureau produced updated national current ZCTAs reflecting USPS ZIP Code changes through October, 2002. The United States Postal Service (USPS) makes periodic changes to ZIP Codes to support more efficient mail delivery. Therefore, the original Census 2000 ZCTAs may no longer match current ZIP Codes. As a result of the updates, 581 ZCTAs were eliminated and 735 new ZCTAs were created, for a new nationwide total of 33,322 ZCTAs.

The Census 2000 Partnership and Marketing Program is a multi-faceted effort to remind the general population about the census, educate those members of the public who do not understand the purpose of the census and its significance to their communities, and motivate them to complete their census questionnaires. The Census Bureau recognizes that different segments of the population respond in different ways and with different levels of trust and willingness to participate in the census.

Yes. Demos can be developed utilizing either Director or Authorware and delivered over the Web. With these two tools, the user must download free Player software from the software manufacturer for playback. We may also use video playback software, depending upon the demos original form.

The data on race in Census 2000 are not directly comparable to data collected in previous censuses. For more information on race and Hispanic origin data, click on one of the following:

Federal population census records, 1790-1930, are available for research at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, and in Regional Archives throughout the country. The National Archives at College Park does not have census records. NARA will only copy exactly identified pages of the Federal census.

The census asks questions about income, homes, jobs, schooling, and even how people get to work because the decennial Census is the only data-gathering effort that collects the same information from enough people to get comparable data for every geographic area in the nation. The information is used as a basis for an accurate distribution of fiscal resources under a wide range of federal, state, local, and tribal government programs.