Providence Census Snapshot

[Carter711]

The Census recenly released its 2005 Community Profiles for all cities of 65,000 or more.

Lots of interesting Providence information, like...

The median age is 30.4

Poverty rate has inched up to 29.4%

White people now make up just under 50% of the pop.

28.4% of residents hold a Bachelors Degree or higher

For the whole profile, go [url="http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US4459000&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US44%7C16000US4459000&_street=&_county=hartford&_cityTown=hartford&_state=04000US12&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2005_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null

[KRC]

To be honest, I don't buy into anything the US Census puts out. It first started when the 1999 population estimates were put out. Could they have been more incorrect for the city? Then, I met a gentleman from Baltimore who worked for the Census. He told me that they work completely off theoretical calculations. They don't even work with concrete numbers until they do their once a decade count. They can take their guestimations and stick it.

I, personally, will look at the figures and facts that groups like The Providence Plan, the BBB, the CVB, the Providence and Rhode Island Foundations, etc. put out. They are actually here on the ground working directly with the city and its population and not in some office in Maryland guessing at what's really going on.

[Recchia]

I agree. It seems like the estimates are just something for the Bureau to do when they're bored in between actual censuses. They're prediction for Providence, and RI as a whole were wayyy off before 2000.

According to this prediction, Providence has lost 13,000 people since 2000. Okay...

[JimmyGreaves]

This 2005 census population estimate for Providence is 16,000 higher than the snapshot.

2005 Population Estimate

[Carter711]

I agree. It seems like the estimates are just something for the Bureau to do when they're bored in between actual censuses. They're prediction for Providence, and RI as a whole were wayyy off before 2000.

According to this prediction, Providence has lost 13,000 people since 2000. Okay...

No, the Census Snapshot only includes Providence's 'Household population.' People living in institutions, college dormitories, and other "group quarters," who show up in the Census' official 10-year counts are not included. So the 160K figure is consistent with the Census' 2005 population estimate of 177,000 for Providence.

[KRC]

No, the Census Snapshot only includes Providence's 'Household population.' People living in institutions, college dormitories, and other "group quarters," who show up in the Census' official 10-year counts are not included. So the 160K figure is consistent with the Census' 2005 population estimate of 177,000 for Providence.

You're absolutely correct. Those numbers are a bit deceptive when you don't read the fine print.

My issue is that I find the Census to be lacking in majority minority neighborhoods. Which in turn means they do a less than stallar job with older dense cities of the kind that we in the Northeast have in spades. Like I said before, who are you going to trust? The US Census estimate based on a theoretical calculation from a standard set of inputs on socio-economic measurement tools or a group like the Providence Plan who are actually based in the city and have feet on the street working with the population at large? My money's on the second group.