Press Releases

For Immediate Release

Regional data available

Bay Area Census Web Site Announced

Contact:

Joan Friedman
510.464.7833

Réka Goode
510.464.7706

OAKLAND, Calif., April 6, 2001...The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) have teamed up to host a customized Web site that provides Census 2000 data about the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area as a whole, as well as by individual cities and counties.

The MTC/ABAG Web site -- accessible at http://census.abag.ca.gov -- has aggregated the data for easy use by those interested specifically in the Bay Area, unlike other census Web sites (such as the Census Bureau's American FactFinder, http://factfinder.census.gov), which present figures for the region piecemeal. In addition, the MTC/ABAG site offers tables comparing 1980 and 1990 census figures to 2000 census numbers for the nine counties.

The March 29 release of Census 2000 data for California is just one of many releases scheduled to occur over the next few years, and covers figures for total population, population age 18 years and over, and race -- in each case with details down to the census' smallest geographical level: the city block.

Since the 2000 census allows respondents to identify themselves by as many races as may apply, tabulation of race has become a complicated exercise. The initial data show the totals and combinations of six race categories -- White, Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Other -- as well as the ethnic category of Hispanic/Non-Hispanic. Later data releases will include a breakdown of the "Asian" designation into subsets such as Laotian, Vietnamese and the like, as well as racial categories for the region's residents who are of Hispanic origin. Other data due out this summer will add information about age, sex, household and housing characteristics. Data regarding travel patterns are expected to become available by fall of 2002.

MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

For further information about Bay Area census data, e-mail or call the MTC-ABAG Library at library@mtc.ca.gov or 510.817.5836.

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