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Research Matters

At the Census Bureau, we aim to discuss important research in government statistics, and stimulate informed debate. Research ranges from substantive topics of interest in demography, economics and other social sciences, to methodological questions, such as the role of statistical modeling in surveys, designs for the Decennial Census, research on record linkage and confidentiality protection.

Research is more important to us now than ever before. There is increased demand for data products, and the questions asked are becoming more complex and hard to measure.

On the other hand, surveys and censuses are increasingly expensive and challenging to mount. The forum will describe research at the Census Bureau that is essential to reconciling these tendencies.

In certain postings, opinions and conclusions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Census Bureau. All results have been reviewed to ensure that no confidential information is disclosed.

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Research Matters Blog
Census Bureau Economists to Present at AEA-ASSA Annual Meeting
U.S. Census Bureau economists and social scientists are set to present their research findings at the annual meeting of the AEA-ASSA on January 5-7, 2024.


Research Matters Blog
Using Administrative Data to Evaluate Nonresponse Bias - CPS ASEC
In the annual income report, Income in the United States: 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau tabulates the national income distribution using survey responses.


Research Matters Blog
Results From Recent Research on Advanced Technology Use and Automation
Using robots to automate tasks is becoming increasingly common, even outside of manufacturing — for example, in fast food restaurant kitchens and hospitals.


Research Matters Blog
How Inflation Affects the Census Bureau’s Income and Earnings Estimate
On Sept. 12, 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau will release a new report comparing estimates of median income and earnings between 2021 and 2022.


Research Matters Blog
How Technology Is Making it Possible to Build the Largest Dataset in History About the United States and the People Who Live Here
Linking data sheds light on where and why people move, and generational changes in social class and family structure.


Research Matters Blog
Census Bureau Economists to Present at AEA and ASSA Annual Meetings
U.S. Census Bureau economists are set to present research findings at the annual meeting of the AEA and ASSA January 6–8.


Research Matters Blog
Technology Transformation at the Census Bureau: Building a Modern, Data-Centric Ecosystem
The U.S. Census Bureau has historically helped answer both simple questions like "What’s the population of Utah?” and more complex questions like “How are declining business start-up rates related to living standards?”


Research Matters Blog
How Has the Pandemic Continued to Affect Survey Response? Using Administrative Data to Evaluate Nonresponse in the 2022 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement
The U.S. Census Bureau tabulates the national income distribution using survey responses collected during February through April 2022.


Research Matters Blog
Unanticipated Benefits of Compensating Survey Respondents
This blog summarizes and discusses findings on how earnings nonresponse compared across groups.


Research Matters Blog
Census Bureau Economists to Present at the American Economic Association and Allied Social Science Association Annual Meetings
U.S. Census Bureau economists are set to present at the annual meeting of the AEA and ASSA scheduled to be held virtually Jan. 7–9.


Research Matters Blog
Four Cooperative Agreements: Census Bureau Research on Record Linkage and Entity Resolution
These cooperative agreements constitute a mechanism for the Census Bureau to engage with the research community to encourage and promote methodological research and technology development.


Research Matters Blog
How Did the Pandemic Affect Survey Response
This blog discusses whether response rates have rebounded to prepandemic levels and the extent of nonresponse bias in 2021.


Research Matters Blog
Transitions in Health Insurance Coverage: A Look Inside Annual Health Coverage Statistics
As a result of a redesign in 2014, the CPS ASEC questionnaire includes questions that probe whether respondents had continuous coverage.


Research Matters Blog
Census Bureau Economists to Present at American Economic Association and Allied Social Science Association Annual Meetings
U.S. Census Bureau economists will present the results from their research at the annual meeting of the American Economic Association and the Allied Social Science Associations.


Research Matters Blog
2018 Data Measures Automation in U.S. Businesses
Artificial intelligence (AI), robots, and other automation types are dramatically changing the way production occurs in U.S. businesses.


Research Matters Blog
Three Cooperative Agreements: Research on Statistical Information
The U.S. Census Bureau, in conjunction with several agency partners, is delighted to announce the award of three cooperative agreements.


Research Matters Blog
ACS Updates on Disclosure Avoidance and Release Plans
The U.S. Census Bureau is on track to release the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates as scheduled Sept. 17, 2020.


Research Matters Blog
Tech Stats Centralizes Data, Research and Measures Technology's Impact
The U.S. Census Bureau has recently released Tech Stats that will centralize the location of data and research products that focus on advanced technologies, their use, and their impact on the U.S. economy and workforce.


Research Matters Blog
The Impact of 2010 Census Hiring on the Unemployment Rate
The U.S. Census Bureau hires hundreds of thousands of temporary workers to conduct the decennial census.


Research Matters Blog
Modernizing Disclosure Avoidance: A Multipass Solution to Postprocessing Error
In our last blog, we discussed the feedback we received from the data user community about demonstration data released last fall that were produced using the interim version of the 2020 Disclosure Avoidance System (DAS).


Research Matters Blog
Modernizing Disclosure Avoidance: What We've Learned, Where We Are Now
We want to highlight some of the feedback we have received and how we are using it to improve the Disclosure Avoidance System (DAS) that will be used for the 2020 Census.


Research Matters Blog
Census Bureau Works With Data Users to Protect 2020 Census Data Products
The Census Bureau’s mission is “to serve as the nation’s leading provider of quality data about its people and economy.” As an agency, we take this responsibility seriously.


Research Matters Blog
Balancing Privacy and Accuracy: New Opportunity for Disclosure Avoidance Analysis
Today, the Census Bureau is releasing demonstration data products designed to help our data user community better understand the disclosure avoidance system.


Research Matters Blog
Fourth Wave of 2014 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
In March 2017, we released the first version of the 2014 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) Wave 1 data.


Research Matters Blog
Current Coverage, Calendar-Year Coverage: Two Measures, Two Concepts
Analysis of the new current health insurance coverage estimates in the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement.


Research Matters Blog
CPS ASEC Redesign and Processing Changes
The U.S. Census Bureau has been engaged in implementing improvements to the CPS ASEC income, health insurance and demographic content.


Research Matters Blog
Disclosure Avoidance and the 2018 Census Test: Release of the Source Code
The 2020 Census marks the first time that any federal government statistical agency applied the rigorous rule of differential privacy.


Research Matters Blog
Shape your future. START HERE. U.S. Census Bureau Unveils 2020 Census Tagline
Starting in 1790, and every 10 years since, the United States has conducted a census.


Research Matters Blog
Fresh Uses for the Management and Organizational Practices Survey Instrument
The U.S. Census Bureau develops instruments to collect information of use to many stakeholders, including businesses.


Research Matters Blog
The Opportunity Atlas
How do children’s chances of climbing the income ladder vary across neighborhoods in America? Where is opportunity lacking and what can we do to improve opportunity in such areas?


Research Matters Blog
Protecting the Confidentiality of America's Statistics: Ensuring Confidentiality and Fitness-for-Use
In my last blog, I described the Census Bureau’s work to modernize how we protect respondent data in the statistics we publish.


Research Matters Blog
Protecting the Confidentiality of America's Statistics: Adopting Modern Disclosure Avoidance Methods at the Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau’s commitment to data stewardship—protecting respondent privacy and confidentiality at every stage of the data lifecyle—is grounded in law that is straightforward, robust, and strong.


Research Matters Blog
Business Formation Statistics: A New Census Bureau Product that Takes the Pulse of Early-Stage U.S. Business Activity
Employer business startups (new firms with employees) play a key role in job creation and productivity growth in the U.S. economy.


Research Matters Blog
Census Bureau Economists to Present at 2018 Allied Social Science Association and American Economic Association Meeting in Philadelphia
U.S. Census Bureau economists will present results from their research at the annual meeting of the Allied Social Science Association (ASSA) and American Economic Association (AEA) in Philadelphia Jan. 5-7, 2018.


Research Matters Blog
Advancing Big Data and Social Science at the U.S. Census Bureau
Today’s world revolves around electronics: iPhones, 4K TVs, chips in credit cards, GPS mapping to get you from here to there and an ever exponentially increasing access to data storage and computational power.


Research Matters Blog
Join Us at the 2017 Annual American Association for Public Opinion Research Conference
Researchers from the U.S. Census Bureau, along with many other survey research professionals across the nation, will present findings at the 72nd annual American Association for Public Opinion Research Conference.

Page Last Revised - December 5, 2023
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