Demographic Information for Cities: A Manual for Estimating and Projecting Local Population Characteristics.

A manual designed to assist analysts in estimating metropolitan population size and structure for any year following a census enumeration. The manual is organized on three levels, each suited to a different audience. The first avoids technical details of specific methods in favor of exploring underlying strategies for estimating and projecting small-area population. The second--which presents an inventory, appraisal, and comparison of performance of the chief methods used in preparing local estimates--is designed to help the analyst select a suitable method for his own applications. The third and operational level provides illustrative applications of different estimation techniques. Step-by-step examples here can serve as models for the analyst to follow in carrying out his own computations. An exploratory study for Brooklyn, New York, illustrates a central theme: the advantage of tailoring methodology to exploit available local data sources instead of relying on "cookbook" applications of standardized techniques. 174 pp. Bibliog.