Differences between the 1940 and 1950 Census Questions

One of the first things you’ll notice when diving into the 1950 data is that several questions were dropped from the 1940 edition. These modest changes were tied to booming labor costs for enumerators and an even more booming population. These modifications included dropping questions about social security numbers and whether those being surveyed were wives, widows, or children of a veteran. A supplemental question on what language was spoken during childhood was also eliminated.

Modified Questions

Given all that transpired around the world between the 1940 and 1950 censuses, important changes were made to the questions about migration. For example, instead of asking where someone lived 5 years prior, enumerators asked where they lived just 1 year earlier. The rationale is clear—in 1945 (5 years prior), millions of American men were overseas engaged in World War II.

Other changes were made to questions on education, marriage, and accounting for America’s transient population.

More Accurate Answers to Questions

In addition to the changes in the census itself, 1950 also marked a welcome shift toward greater planning, training, and supervision during census taking. To improve the quality of the data, officials began preparing earlier than ever. Twenty-six chief instructors were tasked with training several hundred instructors, who would then train 8,300 crew leaders. By the time the census launched, 140,000 enumerators were ready to complete the most accurate count in history.

Finally, once the census was complete, for the first time in history, officials deployed specialized interviewers to conduct a quality check of about 22,000 households. As expected, the census record set a new standard.

Link to 1950 US Census