Topics
Concept
The response rate indicates the proportion of the target population responding to the census. Typically, this relates to the usually resident population of New Zealand. For the 2018 Census, we are reporting the census response rate in two different ways:
The traditional response rate relates the number of completed returned individual forms to the estimated number of people who should have been counted. The latter is measured by the post-enumeration survey, although an interim measure in 2018 was provided by Dual System Estimation benchmarks. If possible, census overcount (as measured by the Post-Enumeration Survey (PES)) is included in the calculation to allow for people who have responded more than once.
(Usually resident individual responses- estimated overcount from PES)/(Estimated usually resident population on census night from PES)
An alternative response rate relates the number of individual responses from either individual forms, dwelling forms, or household set-up forms, to the estimated number of people who should have been counted. For an individual response to be counted, at least two of the following variables need to be received: name, date of birth, or meshblock.
See also 'Dual System Estimation benchmark' and 'Response' in this definitions group.
en-NZ