Randomly Selected Households Receive the 2003 Census Update Survey - Results To Be Released This Fall

The Montgomery County Planning Board has conducted its eighth Census Update Survey during April and May. The mail survey of one out of 20 households in the County collected basic demographic data such as age, race, education, employment, and housing characteristics. As rapidly changing demographics shape Montgomery County's profile, the survey results will help planners understand the underlying components of change, such as aging baby boomers, new immigrant households, and minority suburbanization. The Census Update Survey is usually conducted twice a decade and it serves to update the federal decennial census.

Information gathered through the Census Update Survey is strictly confidential. Under no circumstances are individual replies shared with anyone. Responses are used only in the tabulation of statistical summaries for geographic areas. Cooperation of County residents was essential to ensure the statistical reliability of the findings.

Montgomery County government agencies, as well as private and nonprofit organizations, rely on the population and housing data compiled from the Census Update Survey. Results from the 1997 Census Update Survey are available in the Research and Technology Center's section on M-NCPPC's website www.mcfacts.org. The survey results are the foundation of the Department of Park & Planning's forecasts of population, households, and transportation, and provide a demographic snapshot for a community's master plan. Other examples of how information from past household surveys have been used include:

Forecasting public facility needs such as parks, libraries, police stations, based on population size and characteristics by planning areas.

Helping the Montgomery County Public Schools' staff estimate the number of school age children by housing type in each school district.

Anticipating and planning for a variety of government programs, such as services for the elderly and children, and affordable housing by describing the characteristics of appropriate population groups.

Updating federal census data that is used to obtain various types of federal and state grants.

Determining the need for retail development by describing the characteristics of households within specific trade areas.

Facilitating transportation planning by describing current means of travel, commuting patterns, and other indicators of the transportation impacts of increases in housing and jobs.

For more information about the 2003 Census Update Survey, please contact M-NCPPC's Research and Technology Center at (301) 650-5600 or see our Frequently Asked Questions information sheet.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission encourages the participation of all individuals in its programs and facilities. For assistance with special needs, such as large print materials, sign language interpretation, listening devices, etc., please contact Marion Joyce, (301) 495-4600, TTY (301) 495-1331 or the Maryland Relay Service, 1-800-735-2258.

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