Research Guides: U.S. Census: 1990 Census

Finding Data

Go to the Census of Population and Housing list (Census Bureau). Select

Census of Population and Housing, 1990

1990 Census of Population

Select one of the recommended reports listed below, then select the state or the U.S. total.

CP-1 General Population Characteristics (100% data / complete count)
CP-2 Social and Economic Characteristics (sample data)

Go to the Census of Population and Housing list (Census Bureau). Select

Census of Population and Housing, 1990

1990 Census of Housing

Select one of the recommended reports listed below, then select the state or the U.S. total.

CH-1 - General Housing Characteristics (100% data / complete count)
CH-2 - Detailed Housing Characteristics (sample data)

Finding Guide

Each census report has a table finding guide (right before the first data table) to identify tables by subject and geography.

Example:

Counts, Samples, and 1990 Questionnaire

Completed via self-enumeration. Two forms were used: the short form and the long form. The long form was sent to about 18% of households. Since the questions on the short form were included on the long form, the short form was sent to 100% of households.
Facsimilies of Respondent Instructions and Questionnaire Pages
Copies of the questionnaire, taken from CPH-4, Appendix E.
1990 Census of Population and Housing Guide - Part A. Text
Reference Series CPH R-1A.
Questionnaires
Facsimiles and/or instructions for censuses from 1790 - 2010.

1990 Complete Count Data Chart
1990 Complete Count Data (100%)
Population
Name and household relationship	# of units in structure
Sex	# of rooms in unit
Race	Tenure (owned or rented)
Age and year of birth	Value of home
Marital status	Monthly rent
Hispanic / Spanish origin	Vacancy characteristics
	Congregate housing (meals included)

Additional Questions asked on Long Form:

1990 Sample Data Chart
1990 Sample Data (17%)
Population	Housing
State or country of birth	Year moved into residence
Citizenship and year of immigration	Number of bedrooms
School enrollment / Educational attainment	Plumbing facilities
Ancestry / Ethnic origin	Kitchen facilities
Residence 5 years ago	Telephone
Language spoken at home	Vehicles available
Veteran status	Heating fuel
Disability	Source of water
Children ever born / Fertility	Sewage disposal
Labor force status	Year structure built
Place of work	Condominium status
Journey to work	Farm residence
Year last worked	Cost of utilities and fuels
Occupation	Real estate taxes
Industry	Insurance
Class of worker	Monthly mortgage
Work experience in 1989	Monthly condominium fees
Income in 1989 (poverty)	Monthly mobile home fees

1990 Censuses of Population and Housing

Internet, CD-ROM, and print sources are listed because the data arrangement and data coverage differ.

Title	Access	Description
Census of Population and Housing	Internet Census Bureau	Links to PDFs of decennial census reports from 1790 - 2010.
1990 Demographic Profile Generator: Basic Tables	Internet Missouri Census Data Center	Interactive system. Sample Data (Long form). Provides 1990 population and economic profiles. Includes state, county, place, zip code, census tract, and block group geographic areas. Data are from Summary Tape File 3 (sample data). Provides some data and analysis not available in other 1990 Census programs. Note: program does not include data from the Short form (100% count). From Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, University of Missouri and Missouri Census Data Center.
CensusCD+Maps, 1990 Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM 1202	CD-ROM	Census data down to the Block Group level. Includes data from the Short form (100% data) and the Long form (sample data). Published by GeoLytics.
1990 Census of Population and Housing: STF (Summary Tape File) 1A Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM 37	CD-ROM	100% Data (Short form): age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, households, housing units, value, rent, number of rooms, tenure, and vacancy characteristics. States, counties, county subdivisions, places, census tracts/BNA, block groups.
1990 Census of Population and Housing, United States (CD-ROM) STF (Summary Tape File) 1C Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM 40	CD-ROM	100% Data (Short form). Age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, household structure, value, rent, number of rooms, tenure, and vacancy characteristics. From the questionnaire answered by “100%” of the population (complete count). Covers geographic areas as large as the United States down to cities of 10,000 or more inhabitants. Covers all states.
1990 Census of Population and Housing: South Atlantic Division (CD-ROM) STF (Summary Tape File) 1A Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM South Atlantic Division (includes Delaware) is CD-ROM 37; check the Library catalog for call numbers for other regions.	CD-ROM	100% data (Short form) by State -- South Atlantic Division (includes Delaware). Same data tables as STF 1C, but covering smaller geographic areas. For other states, check DELCAT Discovery for call numbers.
1990 Census of Population and Housing: United States (CD-ROM) STF (Summary Tape File) 3C Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM 181	CD-ROM	Sample Data (Long form) from the questionnaire filled out by 18% of the population; data present are estimates for the entire population. Covers geographic areas as large as the United States down to cities of 10,000 or more inhabitants. Covers all states. Includes all data from Short form questionnaire and adds: place of birth, education, ancestry, migration, language spoken at home, disability, journey to work, occupation, industry and class of worker, income in 1989, year moved into residence, number of bedrooms, plumbing and kitchen facilities, telephone, heating fuel, year structure built, condominium status, shelter costs. Note: the CD-ROM has a keyword search for subjects.
1990 Census of Population and Housing: Delaware, District of Columbia, & Maryland (CD-ROM) STF (Summary Tape File) 3A Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM Delaware, District of Columbia, & Maryland are on CD-ROM 147. ; check the Library catalog for call numbers for other states.	CD-ROM	Sample Data (Long form) from the questionnaire filled out by 18% of the population; data present are estimates for the entire population. Includes all data from Short form questionnaire and adds: place of birth, education, ancestry, migration, language spoken at home, disability, journey to work, occupation, industry and class of worker, income in 1989, year moved into residence, number of bedrooms, plumbing and kitchen facilities, telephone, heating fuel, year structure built, condominium status, shelter costs. Note: the CD-ROM has a keyword search for subjects. States, counties, county subdivisions, places, census tracts/BNA, block groups.
1990 Census of Population and Housing: Zip Code Areas (CD-ROM) STF 3B (Summary Tape File) Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM 199	CD-ROM	Sample Data for zip code areas. CD-ROM 199 has the data for zip code areas beginning with 0,1,2,3 (includes Delaware). See DELCAT Discovery for call numbers for other areas.
1990 Equal Employment Opportunity File (EEO) Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM 180	Internet Census Bureau	Special tabulation: detailed occupations and educational attainment data by age; cross tabulated by sex, Hispanic origin, and race.
1990 Earnings by Occupation and Education Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM 436	CD-ROM	Provides data for the United States, all States, the District of Columbia and each metropolitan area for all persons 18 years and over in the experienced civilian labor force who worked with earnings in 1989. Subject Summary Tape File 22 from the 1990 Census.
CPH-1: Summary Population & Housing Characteristics Morris Library - U.S. Doc Census Area C3.223/18:90- (number for a state)	Print volume	"100% DATA": age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, households, housing units, value, rent, number of rooms, tenure, and vacancy characteristics. Derived from STF 1. U.S., territories, states, counties, places, county subdivisions.
CP-1: General Population Characteristics Morris Library - U.S. Doc Census Area C3.223/6:90 CP-1- (number for a state) Census of Population and Housing list	Print volume and Internet Census Bureau	"100% DATA: population- detailed age, sex, race & Hispanic origin, marital status, household characteristics. Some cross tabulations and percent distributions. Derived from STF (Summary Tape File) 2. U.S., regions, states, counties, places of 1,000 or more inhabitants summary geographic & areas, such as urban and rural.
CP-2: Social and Economic Characteristics Morris Library - U.S. Doc Census Area C3.223/7:90 CP-2- (number for a state) Census of Population and Housing list	Print volume and Internet Census Bureau	"SAMPLE DATA": population-place of birth, education, ancestry, migration, language, disability, occupation, industry and class of worker, labor force statistics, income in 1989 and more. Derived from STF (Summary Tape File) 4. U.S., regions, states, counties, places of 1,000 or more inhabitants summary geographic & areas, such as urban and rural.
CPH-2: Population and Housing Unit Counts Morris Library - U.S. Doc Census Area C3.223/5:90 CPH-2- (number for a state) CPH-2 list	Print volume and Internet Census Bureau	"100% DATA": age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, households, housing units, value, rent, number of rooms, tenure, and vacancy characteristics. Derived from STF 1 (Summary Tape File). U.S., territories, states, counties, county subdivisions, places, state component parts of MAs and UAs, and summary geographic areas, such as urban and rural.

1990 Censuses of Population and Housing: Small Areas

Tracts, Block Groups, and Blocks

Title	Access	Description
Census Tracts and Block Groups 1990 Census of Population and Housing: STF (Summary Tape File) 1A. Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM 37	CD-ROM	"100% Data": age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, households, housing units, value, rent, number of rooms, tenure, and vacancy characteristics. States, counties, county subdivisions, places, census tracts/BNA, block groups.
Census Tracts and Block Groups 1990 Census of Population and Housing: Delaware, District of Columbia, & Maryland (CD-ROM) STF (Summary Tape File) 3A Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM Delaware, District of Columbia, & Maryland are on CD-ROM 147; check the Library catalog for call numbers for other states.	CD-ROM	Sample Data (Long form) from the questionnaire filled out by 18% of the population; data present are estimates for the entire population. Includes all data from Short form questionnaire and adds: place of birth, education, ancestry, migration, language spoken at home, disability, journey to work, occupation, industry and class of worker, income in 1989, year moved into residence, number of bedrooms, plumbing and kitchen facilities, telephone, heating fuel, year structure built, condominium status, shelter costs. Note: the CD-ROM has a keyword search for subjects. States, counties, county subdivisions, places, census tracts/BNA, block groups.
Census Tracts and Block Groups CPH-3: Population and Housing Characteristics for Census Tracts and Block Numbering Areas Morris Library - U.S. Doc Census Area C3.223/11:90 CPH-3-(number for a state)	Print volume	Sample Data. Includes land area. Derived from STFs (Summary Tape File) 2 and 4. MSAs and census tracts/BNAs.
Blocks 1990 Census of Population and Housing: Block Statistics, South Atlantic Division (CD-ROM) Extract from STF (Summary Tape File) 1B Morris Library - Microforms CD-ROM Delaware is CD-ROM 130; check the Library catalog for call numbers for other states.	CD-ROM	100% data (Short form). Limited coverage of housing & population characteristics from the short form data for South Atlantic Division (includes Delaware). Covers the smallest geographic areas, down to census blocks.