Areas "Hard to Count" by Census Mapped

(Cross-posted from CAPCOG Census Coordination Blog)

The “Hard to Count (HTC) Score” was developed by the U.S. Census Bureau to help identify areas that might be difficult to enumerate during Census 2010. The HTC score was calculated for every Census tract in the nation using twelve socioeconomic, demographic, and housing variables from Census 2000 that were correlated with high non-response rates. Online Maps have been developed showing this data for the Capital Area.

Online Map HTC Score 70+ (click for here for interactive map)



Online Map HTC Score 30-69 (click for interactive map)


For assistance with the map contact Chris Ramser, 512-916-6184.

Hard to Count Scores range from 0-132. Areas with the highest scores (e.g., over 70) are likely to have relatively high nonresponse and undercount rates, while areas with the lowest scores are likely to be areas with low rates. These high HTC areas may warrant increased level of focus for Census outreach activities.

The first map developed by the Capital Area Council of Governments shows the location of Census tracts in our region with a 70+ HTC score, while the second shows tracts with a score 30 to 69. When you visit one of the maps, click on a shaded area to view Census 2000 data about that Census tract. The field names in the table have been abbreviated, but this definition file contains an explanation of each variable. Also, the KML or KMZ files for each map are posted below for download, allowing users to view the data in Google Earth.

KML or KMZ files
HTC Score 70+ KML

HTC Score 30-69 KMZ

KML and KMZ files can be viewed in the free software, Google Earth, which provides for additional functionality. Google Earth contains preloaded data such as schools, churches and other places of interest that may be used to identify partners or locations for outreach efforts. Users can also select an individual tract or tracts with a score over a certain number.