Definition: Population and housing census

Category: Demography

The population and housing census is the process that produces at the same time the information related to the population and the information related to the housing stock. This operation has the advantage of obtaining information on two universes (population and housing) using the same process of enumeration. In relation to the population census, the population and housing census is also able to provide information on the living conditions of the population. The outputs of a census process related to the total population and housing stock are indispensable for providing statistics on the population, family, household and housing situation on a uniform basis for small areas and population sub-groups. The characteristics of the population include geographic, demographic, social, economic, and household and family characteristics. For many countries, the outputs obtained through a census process are vital for providing such information since the census is the only source available and there are no other viable alternatives. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ramon/statmanuals/files/Recomm_estat_2010_EN.pdf