Here you will learn whether an archive of past questionnaires - also known as schedules or forms – is available online. Many of our surveys now offer an online response in place of completing and mailing a printed form.
Because the originating legislation came so late in the census planning process and because the nature of the questions was so different from those in the census of population, the housing inquiries in the 1940 census were collected via a separate census. In practice, enumerators collected information for the housing census at the same time they collected information for the population census.
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:
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.
For persons 14 years and older - employment status
Is this person a veteran of the United States military forces; or the wife, widow, or under-18-year old child of a veteran?
For persons 14 years old and over
For all women who are or have been married
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:
Location and Household Data
II. Characteristics of Structure