Census night address 2013 Census (information about this variable and its quality)

##Related variables

• Census night urban and rural area indicator – indicates whether the physical location of the dwelling where a person was on census night is in an urban or rural area.
• Usual residence indicator – describes the relationship between a person's usual residence and their census night address.

##Where the data comes from

Question 8 on the individual form.

However, if a respondent marks 'At the address I gave in question 5' (usual residence), the address they provided for question 5 is used.

##How this data is classified

The census night address classification is a one-level classification consisting of the seven digit standard meshblock codes.

Meshblocks are the smallest geographic unit for which statistical data is collected by Statistics NZ. Meshblocks vary in size from part of a city block to large areas of rural land. Each meshblock abuts another to cover all of New Zealand, extending out to the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (approximately 320 kilometres). Meshblocks aggregate to build larger geographic areas, such as area units, territorial authorities, and regional councils.

Address information (street number, name, and type; suburb or rural locality; and city, town, or district) is used to place a person into the classification.

This data is also output at higher geographic levels, including area unit, territorial authority, and regional council.

For further information about this classification, refer to the:

• 2013 Census data dictionary
• Statistical standard for census night address.

For background information on classifications and standards, refer to the Classifications and related statistical standards page.

##Subject population

The subject population for this variable is the census night population, including the use of substitute individual forms.

Substitute individual forms are individual forms created by Statistics NZ where there is sufficient evidence that a person exists but Statistics NZ has no corresponding individual form. Substitute forms are only created for the census usually resident population.

The subject population is the people, families, households, or dwellings to whom the variable applies.

##Non-response and data that could not be classified

This variable does not have a non-response category as all forms received have a meshblock code.

When the respondent did not answer the question, the census night address is taken to be the meshblock code filled in by the collector. This includes situations in which an entire individual form for a person within a household was not answered, and situations in which an entire household did not respond.

The 2013 substitute rate was 4.7 percent, compared with 3.2 percent in 2006 and 2.3 percent in 2001.

For more information on non-response and substitute records, refer to the 2013 Census data user guide.

##How this data is used

Data from this variable is used:

• to formulate, monitor, and evaluate central and local government policy
• as a critical input to population estimates and projections
• to provide information on how communities are changing
• for accurately counting dwellings and their occupants for the geographic coding of personal and dwelling records, and for assigning dwellings to neighbourhoods and regions.

##Data quality processes

All census data was checked thoroughly during processing and evaluation, to ensure that it met quality standards and is suitable for use. These quality checks included edits.

All data must meet minimum quality standards to make it suitable for use.

Quality level

A quality level is assigned to all census variables: foremost, defining, or supplementary.

Census night address is a foremost variable. Foremost variables are core census variables that have the highest priority in terms of quality, time, and resources across all phases of a census.

Mode of collection impacts – online form compared with paper form

The online forms had built-in editing functionality that directed respondents to the appropriate questions and ensured that their responses were valid. As a result of this, data from online forms may be of higher overall quality than data from paper forms. The significance of this will depend on the particular type of analysis being done. There will always be a mode effect but this cannot be measured. Statistics New Zealand design and test to minimise the effects of mode for all questions.

There were differences between how the forms were completed online and on paper for this variable:

• On the online form, the census night address question had to be completed in order for the respondent to submit the form. Non-response to this question was possible when forms were filled in on paper.

##Quality assessment of data and data quality issues for this variable

Overall quality assessment

High: fit for use – with minor data quality issues only. 2013 Census variable quality rating scale gives more detail.

Issues to note

• The 2013 substitute rate was 4.7 percent, compared with 3.2 percent in 2006 and 2.3 percent in 2001.

For more information on substitute records, refer to the 2013 Census data user guide.

##Comparing this data with previous census data

This data is comparable with data from the 2006 and 2001 Censuses. Changes in the data over this time period can be interpreted as real changes because there have been no changes in the way the data has been collected, defined, and classified.

##Comparing this data with data from other sources

No alternative data source.

##Further information about this data

Contact our Information Centre for further information about using this variable.