'Cause I really wanna know

September 27, 2005 9:47 AM

Do population statistics for U.S. cities typically include or exclude college students?

I think of college students as being sort of a semi-transient population, and of course most college towns are emptier in the summer than when school is in-session. These extra people could make a big difference in the numbers for some towns!

posted by ZenMasterThis to Education (4 answers total)

Best answer: According to the Census 2000 Residence Rules:

* Boarding school students: Counted at their parental home rather than at the boarding school.
* College students living away from home while attending college: Counted where they are living at college.
* College students living at their parental home while attending college: Counted at their parental home.
posted by Plutor at 9:56 AM on September 27, 2005

I filled out a census form when I lived in a dorm. There's actually a special form specifically for dorms.

You'll note that the normal form (the one that would go to the other homes of college students) specifically instructs the person who fills out the form not to include students away at college.

So if students are in town on census day, they're included in census data.
posted by duck at 9:56 AM on September 27, 2005

Speaking as a former census worker, people are recorded where they are when they get the census.
posted by klangklangston at 11:23 AM on September 27, 2005

The census in the US takes place in Feb-April IIRC and you're expected to fill them out with your residence as of the day they do it. So, college students are counted.
posted by jessamyn at 12:31 PM on September 27, 2005