THE UNITED-STATES DECENNIAL CENSUS - AN AGENDA FOR CHANGE

The results and experiences of the 1990 census demonstrate that the American population has grown too diverse and dynamic to be accurately counted solely by the traditional ''headcount'' approach, and that fundamental changes must be implemented for a successful census in 2000. In the past, each census was more accurate than the preceding one, in part because of increased spending. However, the accuracy of the 1990 census fell below that of the 1980 census, as census costs escalated significantly. The $2.6 billion the nation spent on the 1990 census represented a 65 percent increase in constant dollars over the cost of the 1980 census. Additional cost escalation with the 2000 census is probable unless needed reforms are implemented. Although it is too early to identify the precise design needed for a more cost-effective census in 2000, the General Accounting Office believes that a number of opportunities for reform are worthy of aggressive attention.