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Census Research Guide: 1980

About the 1980 Census

Census Bureau's "By Decade" website - includes a variety of publications, questionnaires, datasets, and more

Highlights

  • 20th decennial census
  • US population: 226,545,805
  • California population: 23,667,902

Questions asked (see questionnaire)

Information obtained from all persons: age; sex; color or race; if American Indian, name of tribe; relationship to head of family or household; marital status

Information obtained from a sample of the population: ancestry/ethnic origin; age at or date of first marriage; married more than once; if remarried, was first marriage terminated by death?; ill or disabled; school attendance; educational attainment; place of birth; citizenship; if foreign born, year of immigration; language; Spanish origin or descent; number of children ever born to mother; veteran status; in service date; place of residence in previous year; year moved to present residence; industry; occupation; class of worker; employment status; duration of unemployment; year last worked; weeks worked in preceding year; hours worked in preceding week; value of real estate; income; place of work; means of transportation to work

Finding Statistics

Social Explorer - remote access limited to UCSD affiliates


Finding Publications

Find all 1980 census publications in the library catalog.

Selected publications, Census of Population

Vol. I: Characteristics of the Population:

Ch. A - Number of Inhabitants (tables 1-13) [C 3.223/5:980/A ]

Ch. B - General Population Characteristics (tables 14-55) [C 3.223/6:980/B ]

Ch. C - General Social and Economic Characteristics (tables 56-193) [C 3.223/7:970/C ]

Ch. D - Detailed Population Characteristics (tables 194-251) [ C 3.223/8:980/D ]

Vol. II: Subject Reports:

Characteristics of American Indians by Tribes and Selected Areas [C 3.223/10:980/2/1C]

American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts on Identified Reservations and in the Historic Area of Oklahoma (Excluding Urbanized Areas) [C 3.223/10:980/2/1D]

Asian and Pacific Islander Population in the United States [C 3.223/10:980/2/1E]

Geographic Mobility for States and the Nation [C 3.223/10:980/2/2A]

Geographic Mobility for Metropolitan Areas [C 3.223/10:980/2/2C]

Living Arrangements of Children and Adults [C 3.223/10:980/2/4B]

Marital Characteristics [C 3.223/10:980/2/4C]

Persons in Institutions and Other Group Quarters [C 3.223/10:980/2/4D]

Journey to Work: Metropolitan Commuting Flows [C 3.223/10:980/2/6C]

Journey to Work: Characteristics of Workers in Metropolitan Areas [C 3.223/10:980/2/6D]

Place of Work [C 3.223/10:980/2/6E]

Occupation by Industry [C 3.223/10:980/2/7C]

Earnings by Occupation and Education [C 3.223/10:980/2/8B]

Poverty Areas in Large Cities [C 3.223/10:980/2/8D]

Characteristics of the Rural and Farm-Related Population [C 3.223/10:980/2/9C]

Supplementary Reports:

Age, Sex, Race, and Spanish Origin of the Population by Regions, Divisions, and States: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-1]

Population and Households by States and Counties: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-2]

Race of the Population by States: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-3]

Population and Households for Census Designated Places: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-4]

Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Standard Consolidated Statistical Areas: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-5]

Nonpermanent Residents by States and Selected Counties and Incorporated Places: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-6]

Persons of Spanish Origin by State: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-7]

Detailed Occupation and Years of School Completed by Age, for the Civilian Labor Force by Sex, Race, and Spanish Origin: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-8]

State of Residence in 1975 by State of Residence in 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-9]

Ancestry of the Population by State: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-10]

Congressional District Profiles, 98th Congress [C3.223/12:980-S1-11]

Asian and Pacific Islander Population by State: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-12]

American Indian Areas and Alaska Native Villages: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-13]

Population and Land Area of Urbanized Areas for the United States and Puerto Rico: 1980 and 1970 [C3.223/12:980-S1-14]

Detailed Occupation of the Experienced Civilian Labor Force by Sex for the United States and Regions: 1980 and 1970 [C3.223/12:980-S1-15]

Residence in 1975 for States by Age, Sex, Race and Spanish Origin [C3.223/12:980-S1-16]

Gross Migration for Counties 1975-1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-17]

Metropolitan Statistical Areas [C3.223/12:980-S1-18]

Rural and Farm Population by Current (1980) and Previous (1970) Farm Definitions, for States and Counties: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-19]

Selected Characteristics of Persons With a Work Disability by State: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-20]

Summary Characteristics of the Black Population for States and Selected Counties and Places: 1980 [C3.223/12:980-S1-21]

Selected Publications, Census of Population and Housing

Block Statistics [C 3.224/5:PHC 80-1-320]

Block Statistics Maps [C 3.224/5:PHC 80-1-320]

Census Tracts [C 3.223/11:980/1-380;maps for each volume]

Summary Characteristics for Governmental Units and SMSAs [C 3.223/23:980/2 to 53]

Congressional Districts of the 98th Congress [C 3.223/20:80-4-2 to 52]

Selected Publications, Census of Housing

Vol. I: Characteristics of Housing Units [C 3.224/3:980/A1-57B]

Vol II: Metropolitan Housing Characteristics [C 3.224/4:980/1-380]

Vol. III: Subject Reports [C 3.224/10:980/2-6]

Vol. IV: Components of Inventory Change [C 3.224/6:980-4-1-2B]

Vol. V: Residential Finance [C 3.224/7:980/v.5]