%0 Case Reports
%T A variation of the housing unit method for estimating the population of small, rural areas: a case study of the local expert procedure.
%A Roe LK
%A Carlson JF
%A Swanson DA
%J Surv Methodol
%V 18
%N 1
%D Jun 1992
%M 12285558
%F 0.718
%X Sociologists designed a random sampling study based on an adaptation of the Housing Unit Method and the local expert method to determine the socioeconomic features of a 3 unincorporated rural communities near Yucca Mountain, Nevada which scientists will use to conduct a comprehensive impact analysis of the proposed geologic nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Electrical company representatives indicated the location and type of housing with all up to date electrical connections in southern Nye county.  This information was included in the housing unit file made from utility records from each community.  After determining the sample size needed, households were randomly chosen from each file (326 Amargosa Valley, 672 Beatty, and 3224 Pahrump).  Meter readers from the local utility companies were the local experts.  2 local experts worked together to authenticate the accuracy of recorded data which included number of person in the household as of July 15, 1990 and age and gender of each member.  Data accuracy was tested and it was found that the 1990 US Census counts were within the relatively narrow 95% confidence intervals.  The mean width was 7.2% of the estimated population, thus the estimates were meaningful.  The estimates were too low for Pahrump (7190 vs. 7425) and Amargosa Valley (841 vs. 853), however.  This may have been due to recent in-migration from the Las Vegas Valley.  Age and gender accuracy could not be tested since the 1990 census data were not yet ready.  Nevertheless, it is believed that this procedure can obtain very accurate estimates.