Census and Economic Information Center

1990 CENSUS SUMMARY TAPE FILES (STF) 3 SUBJECT DEFINITIONS

Ability to Speak English--Represents the person's own perception about his or her ability to speak English or, because census questionnaires are usually completed by one household member, the responses may represent the perception of another household member. (For more information, see "Language Spoken at Home.")

Ancestry--Ancestry refers to a person's ethnic origin or descent, "roots," heritage or the place of birth of the person. It also refers to the person's parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. The data on ancestry represent self-classification by people according to ancestry group(s) with which they most closely identify. The ancestry question allowed respondents to report one or more ancestry groups; generally, only the first two responses were coded. The data presented in this product refer to the total number of ancestries reported by persons living in the area.

Bedrooms--The count of rooms that would be listed as bedrooms if the house or apartment were on the market for sale or for rent.

Children Ever Born--Ever-married women were instructed to include all children born to them before and during their most recent marriage, children no longer living, and children away from home, as well as children who were still living in the home. Never-married women were instructed to include all children born to them. Stillbirths, step-children, and adopted children were excluded.

Class of Worker--The data on class of worker refer to the same job as the respondent's industry and occupation and categorizes persons according to the type of ownership of the employing organization.

Commuting to Work--(See "Means of Transportation to Work.")

Condominium Status--A type of ownership that enables a person to own an apartment or house in a development of similarly owned units and to hold a common or joint ownership in some or all of the common areas and facilities such as land, roof, hallways, entrances, elevators, swimming pool, etc.

Educational Attainment--The highest level of school completed or the highest degree received. The category, "Associate degree" includes persons whose highest degree is an associate degree either in (1) an occupational program that prepares them for a specific occupation, and the course work may or may not be creditable toward a bachelors degree or (2) an academic program primarily in the arts and sciences, and the course work is transferable to a bachelors degree. Some examples of professional degrees include medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, podiatry, veterinary medicine, law and theology, but specifically exclude barber school, cosmetology, or other training for a specific trade.

Employed--All civilians 16 years old and over who were either (1) "at work" - those who did any work at all during the reference week as paid employees, worked in their own business or profession, worked on their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers on a family farm or in a family business; or (2) were "with a job but not at work" - those who did not work during the reference week but had jobs or businesses from which they were temporarily absent. The reference week is the calendar week preceding the date on which the respondents completed the questionnaire or were interviewed by enumerators. (For more information, see "Labor Force Status" and "Unemployed.")

Families (Family Households)--Includes a householder and one or more persons living in the same household who are related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. All persons in a household who are related to the householder are regarded as members of his or her family. A household can contain only one family for purposes of census tabulations. Not all households contain families since a household may comprise a group of unrelated persons or one person living alone.

Farm Population--The farm population consists of persons in households living in farm residences. An occupied one-family house or mobile home is classified as a farm residence if: (1) the housing unit is located on a property of 1 acre or more and (2) at least $1,000 worth of agricultural products were sold from the property in 1989.

Farm Self-Employment Income--Includes net money income (gross receipts minus expenses) from the operation of a farm by a person on his or her own account, as an owner, renter, or sharecropper. Gross receipts include the value of all products sold, government farm programs, money received from the rental of farm equipment to others, and incidental receipts from the sale of wood, sand, gravel, etc. Operating expenses include cost of feed, fertilizer, seed, and other farming supplies, cash wages paid to farmhands, depreciation charges, cash rent, interest on farm mortgages, farm building repairs, farm taxes (not State and Federal personal income taxes), etc.

Foreign Born--Includes persons not classified as "Native." (For more information, see "Native.")

Gross Rent--Monthly contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities and fuels, if these are paid by the renter.

Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in 1989--A computed ratio of monthly gross rent to monthly household income.

House Heating Fuel--The type of fuel used most often to heat the house or apartment.

Householder--Includes, in most cases, the person or one of the persons in whose name the home is owned, being bought, or rented and who is listed in column 1 of the census questionnaire. If there is no such person in the household, any adult household member 15 years old and over could be designated as the householder.

Household--Includes all the persons who occupy a housing unit. Persons not living in households are classified as living in group quarters. In sample tabulations, the count of households may differ from the count of occupied housing units as a result of the weighting process.

Housing Unit--Includes a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters.

Income in 1989--Information on money income received in the calendar year 1989 was requested from persons 15 years and over. "Total income" is the algebraic sum of the amounts reported separately for wage or salary income; net nonfarm self-employment income; net farm self-employment income; interest, dividend, net rental or royalty income; Social Security or railroad retirement income; public assistance or welfare income; retirement or disability income; and all other income. (For more information, see "Public Assistance Income," "Retirement Income," and "Social Security Income.")

Industry--Information on industry relates to the kind of business conducted by a person's employing organization. Some examples of industrial groups shown in this product include agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; construction; manufacturing; transportation; retail trade; personal, entertainment, and recreation services; public administration; etc.

Institutionalized Persons--Includes persons under formally authorized, supervised care or custody in institutions at the time of enumeration.

Kitchen Facilities--Complete kitchen facilities include: (1) an installed sink with piped water; (2) a range, cook top and convection or microwave oven, or cook stove; and (3) a refrigerator. All kitchen facilities must be located in the structure.

Labor Force (Employment) Status--The series of questions on employment status was designed to identify, in this sequence: (1) persons who worked at any time during the reference week; (2) persons who did not work during the reference week but had jobs or businesses from which they were temporarily absent (excluding layoff); (3) persons on layoff; and (4) persons who did not work during the reference week, but who were looking for work during the last four weeks and were available for work during the reference week. (For more information, see "Employed" and "Unemployed.")

Language Spoken at Home--Persons who spoke a language other than English includes only those who sometimes or always spoke a language other than English at home. It does not include those who spoke a language other than English only at school or limited to only a few expressions or slang. (For more information, see "Ability to Speak English.")

Means of Transportation to Work--The category showing "Percent drove alone" includes persons who usually drove alone to work, as well as persons who were driven to work by someone who then drove back home or to a nonwork destination. The category "Percent in carpools" includes workers who reported that two or more persons usually rode to work in the vehicle during the reference week. The data on "Percent using public transportation" includes workers who used a bus or trolley bus, streetcar or trolley car, subway or elevated, railroad, ferryboat, or taxicab.

Mobility Limitation Status--Persons were identified as having a mobility limitation if they had a health condition (physical and/or mental) that lasted 6 or more months and which made it difficult to go outside the home. Examples of outside activities on the questionnaire included shopping and visiting the doctor's office.

Mortgage Status--"Mortgage" refers to all forms of debt where the property is pledged as security for repayment of the debt, including deeds of trust, trust deed, contracts to purchase, land contracts, junior mortgages and home equity loans. (For more information, see "Selected Monthly Owner Costs.")

Native--Includes persons born in the United States, Puerto Rico, or an outlying area of the United States. The small number of persons who were born in a foreign country but have at least one American parent also are included in this category.

Nonfamily Household--Includes a householder living alone or with nonrelatives only. (For more information, see "Families.")

Nonfarm Self-employment Income--Includes net money income (gross receipts minus expenses) from one's own business, professional enterprises, or partnership. Gross receipts include the value of all goods sold and services rendered. Expenses include the cost of goods purchased, rent, heat, light, power, depreciation charges, wages and salaries paid, business taxes (not personal income taxes), etc.

Noninstitutionalized Persons--Includes all persons who live in group quarters other than institutions. (For more information, see "Institutionalized Persons.")

Not Enrolled, Not High School Graduate--Includes persons of compulsory school attendance age or above who were not enrolled in school and were not high school graduates; these persons may be taken as "high school dropouts."

Occupation--Occupation describes the kind of work the person does on the job. For employed persons the data refer to the person's job during the reference week. For those who worked at two or more jobs, the data refer to the job at which the person worked the greatest number of hours. Some examples of occupational groups shown in this product include managerial and professional specialty occupations; technical, sales, and administrative support occupations; operators, fabricators, and laborers; etc.

Occupied Housing Unit--A housing unit is classified as occupied if it is the usual place of residence of the person or group of persons living in it at the time of enumeration, or if the occupants are only temporarily absent; that is, away on vacation or business.

Own Children--A never-married child under 18 years who is a son or daughter by birth, a stepchild, or an adopted child of the householder.

Owner-Occupied Housing Unit--A housing unit is owner-occupied if the owner or co-owner lives in the unit even if it is mortgaged or not fully paid for.

Per Capita Income--The mean income computed for every man, woman, and child in a particular group. It is derived by dividing the total income of a particular group by the total population.

Plumbing Facilities--Complete plumbing facilities include hot and cold piped water, a flush toilet, and a bathtub or shower. All three facilities must be located in the housing unit.

Public Assistance Income--Includes: (1) supplementary security income payments made by Federal or State welfare agencies to low income persons who are aged (65 years old or over), blind, or disabled; (2) aid to families with dependent children, and (3) general assistance. Separate payments received for hospital or other medical care (vendor payments) are excluded from this item.

Poverty Status in 1989--Poverty status was determined for all persons except institutionalized persons, persons in military group quarters and in college dormitories, and unrelated individuals under 15 years old. These groups were excluded from the denominator when calculating poverty rates. Poverty statistics were based on a definition originated by the Social Security Administration in 1964 and modified by Federal interagency committees in 1969 and 1980 and prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget. The income cutoffs used by the Census Bureau to determine the poverty status of families and unrelated individuals included a set of 48 thresholds arranged in a two-dimensional matrix consisting of family size cross-classified by presence and number of family members under 18 years old. The average poverty threshold for a family of four persons was $12,674 in 1989.

Related Children--Includes own children (a never-married child under 18 years who is a son or daughter by birth, a stepchild, or an adopted child of the householder) and all other persons under 18 years of age in the household, regardless of marital status, except the spouse of the householder.

Renter-Occupied Housing Unit--All occupied housing units which are not owner-occupied, whether they are rented for cash rent or occupied without payment of cash rent, are classified as renter-occupied.

Residence in 1985--Indicates the area of residence on April 1, 1985 of those persons who reported that they lived in a different house than their current residence on that date.

Retirement or Disability Income--Includes: (1) retirement pensions and survivor benefits from a former employer, labor union, or Federal, State, county, or other governmental agency; (2) disability income from sources such as worker's compensation; companies or unions; Federal, State, or local government; and the U.S. military; (3) periodic receipts from annuities and insurance; and (4) regular income from IRA and KEOGH plans.

School Enrollment--Persons were classified as enrolled in school if they reported attending a "regular" public or private school or college at anytime between February 1, 1990 and the time of enumeration. The question includes instructions to "include only nursery school, kindergarten, elementary school, and schooling which would lead to a high school diploma or college degree" as regular school. Schools supported and controlled primarily by religious organizations or other private groups are defined as private. Persons who were enrolled and reported completing nursery school or less were classified as enrolled in "preprimary school" which includes kindergarten. Similarly, enrolled persons who had completed at least kindergarten, but not high school, were classified as enrolled in "elementary or high school." Enrolled persons who reported completing high school or some college or having received a post-secondary degree were classified as enrolled in "college."

Selected Monthly Owner Costs--The sum of payments for mortgages, deeds of trust, contracts to purchase, or similar debts on the property; real estate taxes; fire, hazard, and flood insurance on the property; utilities; and fuels. It also includes, where appropriate, the monthly condominium fees or mobile home costs. (For more information, see "Mortgage Status.")

Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income in 1989--The computed ratio of selected monthly owner costs to monthly household income in 1989.

Self-Care Limitation Status--Persons were identified as having a self-care limitation if they had a health condition that lasted for 6 or more months and which made it difficult to take care of their own personal needs, such as dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home.

Sewage Disposal--A public sewer may be operated by a government body or by a private organization. A housing unit is considered to be connected to a septic tank or cesspool when the unit is provided with an underground pit or tank for sewage disposal. "Other means" includes housing units which dispose of sewage in some other way.

Social Security Income--Includes Social Security pensions and survivors benefits and permanent disability insurance payments made by the Social Security Administration prior to deductions for medical insurance, and railroad retirement insurance checks from the U.S. Government. Medicare reimbursements are not included.

Source of Water--A common source supplying water to five or more units is classified as a "public system or private company." If the water is supplied from a well serving four or fewer housing units, the units are classified as having water supplied by either an "Individual well, drilled or dug." "Some other source" includes water obtained from springs, creeks, rivers, lakes, cisterns, etc.

Specified Owner-Occupied Housing Units--Includes only one-family houses on fewer than 10 acres without a business or medical office on the property. The data for "specified units" exclude mobile homes, houses with a business or medical office, houses on 10 or more acres, and housing units in multi-unit buildings.

Specified Renter-Occupied Housing Units--Includes only one-family houses on fewer than 10 acres. The data for "specified units" exclude one-family houses on 10 or more acres.

Specified Vacant-For-Rent Housing Units--See Specified Renter-Occupied Housing Units.

Specified Vacant-For-Sale Housing Units--See Specified Owner-Occupied Housing Units.

Subfamily--Consists of a married-couple (husband and wife enumerated as members of the same household) with or without never-married children under 18 years old, or one parent with one or more never-married children under 18 years old, living in a household and related to, but not including, either the householder or the householder's spouse. The number of subfamilies is not included in the count of families, since subfamily members are counted as part of the householder's family.

Telephone--A telephone must be inside the house or apartment for the unit to be classified as having a telephone. Units where the respondent uses a telephone located inside the building but not in the respondent's living quarters are classified as having no phone.

Unemployed--Civilians 16 years old and over are classified as unemployed if they (1) were neither "at work" nor "with a job but not at work" during the reference week, and (2) were looking for work during the last four weeks, and (3) were available to accept a job. (For more information, see "Employed" and "Labor Force Status.")

Unrelated Individuals--Includes: (1) a householder living alone or with nonrelatives only, (2) a household member who is not related to the householder, or (3) a person living in group quarters who is not an inmate of an institution.

Urban and Rural Population--As defined for the 1990 census, the urban population comprises all persons living in urbanized areas and in places of 2,500 or more persons outside urbanized areas. The population not classified as urban constitutes the rural population. In this product, rural population is subdivided to include rural farm population which comprises all rural households on farms. (For more information, see "Farm Population.")

Vehicles Available--The number of passenger cars, vans, and pick-up or panel trucks of one-ton capacity or less kept at home and available for use of household members.

Veteran Status--A "civilian veteran" is a person 16 years old or over who served (even for a short time) but is not now serving on active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or the Coast Guard, or who served as a Merchant Marine seaman during World War II.

Wage or Salary Income--Includes total money earnings received for work performed as an employee during the calendar year 1989. It includes wages, salary, Armed Forces pay, commissions, tips, piece-rate payments, and cash bonuses earned before deductions were made for taxes, bonds, pensions, union dues, etc.

Work Disability Status--Persons were identified as having a work disability if they had a health condition that lasted 6 or more months and which limited the kind or amount of work they could do at a job or business.

Year Householder Moved Into Unit--The year of the latest move by the householder. The intent is to establish the year the present occupancy by the householder began.

Year Structure Built--Refers to when the building was first constructed, not when it was remodeled, added to, or converted. The data relate to the number of units built during the specified periods that were still in existence at the time of enumeration.

Last Modified: April 30, 2007