Understanding Hard-to-Count and Historically Undercounted Populations

Given these distinct definitions, it’s important to note that the terms HUPs and HTC are not interchangeable. Again, HTC is an umbrella term, while HUPs are a subset of the HTC populations. Both provide useful lenses upon which to conduct specific research and planning for the 2030 Census. 

In other words, not all HTC populations are historically undercounted. While we may have challenges locating, contacting, persuading or interviewing members of a group, we may not consider the group an historically undercounted population because:

• We haven’t measured a definitive undercount — or we’ve sometimes even measured an overcount — across censuses. For example, while we may have challenges accurately counting members of the Asian population, they are not consistently undercounted in aggregate statistics. The PES did not measure a statistically significant undercount for the Asian population in 2010 and measured an overcount in 2020. However, we may still need to make additional effort to ensure that we accurately count the Asian population as a whole.
• We have not measured coverage for the population group. Groups may be undercounted but currently we have insufficient data for measurement.

As it becomes more challenging to locate individuals, connect with them, and ask for their participation through traditional methods, we are dedicated to understanding the needs of populations who have historically been undercounted or are hard to count. We want to overcome barriers to participation to ensure that everyone living in the United States is counted in the census.

Several of our 2030 Census research projects primarily focus on reaching, motivating and accurately counting hard-to-count and historically undercounted populations, and many more projects include research on these populations as a component. To learn more about research on HUPs and HTC populations, check out the latest blog from Director Robert Santos, “How an Interwoven Research Agenda Will Help Us Enumerate Historically Undercounted People in the 2030 Census.”

By the way, while much of our research for the 2030 Census is focused on addressing undercounts, many of these same research projects have the side benefit of addressing issues related to overcounts. For example, one of our enhancement areas is dedicated to real-time data processing, which will help us identify and resolve duplications in real time.