How did the Census Bureau conduct CPS interviews in the affected areas?
The CPS sample is chosen from a listing of housing units from the 2000 Decennial Census that is continually updated using information such as new construction permits. In September, Census interviewers attempted to contact the sample households in most areas affected by the storm. No attempts to contact households in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes in Louisiana were made, as those areas were under mandatory evacuation orders at the time interviewing assignments were made. Attempts to contact respondents by both telephone and personal visits were made in all other areas, including the remaining parishes in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast areas of Alabama and Mississippi. In September, Census interviewers conducted about 600 fewer interviews in the affected states than in August. Compared with August 2005, in September, 36 percent fewer interviews were conducted in Louisiana and 13 percent fewer in Mississippi. There were 10 percent fewer interviews conducted in Texas, due to the evacuation
