An Examination of National Level Differences between the Census Counts and Postcensal Estimates for the American Indian and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Populations

Jason Devine, U.S. Census Bureau
Katrina L. Wengert, U.S. Census Bureau

The U.S. Census Bureau produces estimates of the national population by demographic characteristics using a cohort-component method. This approach utilizes administrative data on births, deaths, and international migration to estimate the change in the population for each age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin group since the most recent decennial census. Evaluations of these estimates have shown that for the total population they are quite accurate when compared to the 2010 Census counts. However, to get a complete picture of estimates accuracy, it is necessary to also examine the differences by demographic characteristics. This paper will examine in more detail previously identified patterns of differences for the American Indian and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander populations. This paper will also consider possible sources for the differences such as the accuracy of estimates of international migration and changes in racial identification in the census.