What Do We Know About the Undercount of Children in the Decennial Census?

Bill O'Hare, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Children, particulalry children under age 5, have been undercounted in the decennial census for many decades. In the 2000 Census, Demographic Analysis reveals that there was a net undercount of 4 percent of the population under age 5, which is far higher than any other age group. Despite the undercount of children as a persistent problem, there are very few studies focused on this problem. This study documents the undercount of children, and explores data related to some of the theories about why young children are missed in the Census.