Geographic Mobility

Hello All,

Currently, I'm working on a project that involves geographic mobility by education. However, I encounter an issue when trying to interpret the data. For example, below is an data from Geographic Mobility by Selected Characters in the U.S. using 2009 ACS 1-Year Estimate. Let say I'm looking at people who have a BA degree and who moved from a different state.  The Table shows that the estiamted of these people is 2.5%. I wonder about what is the base here. In other words, 2.5% of what? 2.5% of total population? or, 2.5% of college graduates? 

Subject United States
Total Moved; within same county Moved; from different county, same state Moved; from different state Moved; from abroad
Estimate Margin of Error Estimate Margin of Error Estimate Margin of Error Estimate Margin of Error Estimate Margin of Error
Population 1 year and over 321,994,428 +/-33,543 8.1% +/-0.1 3.3% +/-0.1 2.3% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
AGE                    
1 to 4 years 16,070,409 +/-34,331 11.4% +/-0.2 3.8% +/-0.1 2.6% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
5 to 17 years 53,853,524 +/-30,642 8.1% +/-0.1 2.3% +/-0.1 1.7% +/-0.1 0.6% +/-0.1
18 to 24 years 30,820,412 +/-44,795 13.7% +/-0.1 8.0% +/-0.1 5.2% +/-0.1 1.2% +/-0.1
25 to 34 years 44,965,735 +/-36,952 13.4% +/-0.1 5.7% +/-0.1 4.0% +/-0.1 1.1% +/-0.1
35 to 44 years 41,117,905 +/-35,116 8.3% +/-0.1 3.2% +/-0.1 2.2% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
45 to 54 years 42,330,955 +/-34,932 5.8% +/-0.1 2.2% +/-0.1 1.5% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
55 to 64 years 42,019,776 +/-19,000 4.3% +/-0.1 1.7% +/-0.1 1.4% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
65 to 74 years 29,731,876 +/-21,417 3.2% +/-0.1 1.3% +/-0.1 1.3% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
75 years and over 21,083,836 +/-15,635 4.2% +/-0.1 1.4% +/-0.1 1.1% +/-0.1 0.3% +/-0.1
                     
Median age (years) 38.5 +/-0.1 28.6 +/-0.1 28.0 +/-0.2 28.7 +/-0.2 29.9 +/-0.2
                     
SEX                    
Male 158,489,820 +/-30,153 8.1% +/-0.1 3.4% +/-0.1 2.4% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
Female 163,504,608 +/-33,147 8.0% +/-0.1 3.1% +/-0.1 2.2% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
                     
RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN                    
One race 311,583,272 +/-95,672 8.0% +/-0.1 3.2% +/-0.1 2.3% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
White 233,042,500 +/-123,921 7.6% +/-0.1 3.2% +/-0.1 2.3% +/-0.1 0.5% +/-0.1
Black or African American 40,883,804 +/-69,843 10.1% +/-0.1 3.7% +/-0.1 2.2% +/-0.1 0.6% +/-0.1
American Indian and Alaska Native 2,690,221 +/-34,898 8.5% +/-0.4 3.7% +/-0.2 1.9% +/-0.1 0.5% +/-0.1
Asian 18,039,660 +/-36,869 7.4% +/-0.1 2.9% +/-0.1 2.8% +/-0.1 3.0% +/-0.1
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 601,730 +/-15,569 9.7% +/-1.1 2.5% +/-0.5 2.9% +/-0.6 1.7% +/-0.4
Some other race 16,325,357 +/-122,559 8.4% +/-0.2 2.5% +/-0.1 1.3% +/-0.1 1.1% +/-0.1
Two or more races 10,411,156 +/-91,760 10.7% +/-0.3 4.2% +/-0.2 3.2% +/-0.1 0.9% +/-0.1
                     
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 57,902,175 +/-18,936 8.9% +/-0.1 2.7% +/-0.1 1.6% +/-0.1 1.0% +/-0.1
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 195,418,920 +/-33,514 7.4% +/-0.1 3.3% +/-0.1 2.5% +/-0.1 0.3% +/-0.1
                     
NATIVITY AND CITIZENSHIP STATUS                    
Native 277,494,599 +/-141,885 8.1% +/-0.1 3.4% +/-0.1 2.4% +/-0.1 0.3% +/-0.1
Foreign born 44,499,829 +/-135,588 7.6% +/-0.1 2.2% +/-0.1 1.9% +/-0.1 3.2% +/-0.1
Naturalized U.S. citizen 21,943,411 +/-75,849 5.6% +/-0.1 1.9% +/-0.1 1.5% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
Not a U.S. citizen 22,556,418 +/-141,197 9.5% +/-0.2 2.6% +/-0.1 2.3% +/-0.1 6.0% +/-0.1
                     
MARITAL STATUS                    
Population 15 years and over 264,697,304 +/-39,302 7.8% +/-0.1 3.4% +/-0.1 2.4% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
Never married 89,095,634 +/-171,846 10.9% +/-0.1 5.2% +/-0.1 3.4% +/-0.1 0.8% +/-0.1
Now married, except separated 126,526,912 +/-283,364 5.5% +/-0.1 2.1% +/-0.1 1.9% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
Divorced or separated 33,928,038 +/-116,945 9.3% +/-0.1 3.8% +/-0.1 2.3% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
Widowed 15,146,720 +/-51,294 5.4% +/-0.1 2.0% +/-0.1 1.4% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
                     
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT                    
Population 25 years and over 221,250,083 +/-75,372 7.0% +/-0.1 2.8% +/-0.1 2.1% +/-0.1 0.6% +/-0.1
Less than high school graduate 26,582,211 +/-117,024 7.3% +/-0.1 2.7% +/-0.1 1.2% +/-0.1 0.8% +/-0.1
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 60,031,545 +/-156,340 6.8% +/-0.1 2.7% +/-0.1 1.5% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
Some college or associate's degree 63,870,412 +/-124,551 7.3% +/-0.1 2.9% +/-0.1 2.0% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
Bachelor's degree 43,585,028 +/-146,108 7.1% +/-0.1 3.0% +/-0.1 2.7% +/-0.1 0.9% +/-0.1
Graduate or professional degree 27,180,887 +/-118,417 6.3% +/-0.1 2.7% +/-0.1 3.2% +/-0.1 1.0% +/-0.1
                     
INDIVIDUAL INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2017 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)                    
Population 15 years and over 264,697,304 +/-39,302 7.8% +/-0.1 3.4% +/-0.1 2.4% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
$1 to $9,999 or loss 40,599,985 +/-109,038 9.0% +/-0.1 4.8% +/-0.1 3.2% +/-0.1 1.0% +/-0.1
$10,000 to $14,999 22,031,386 +/-81,908 8.3% +/-0.1 3.3% +/-0.1 2.4% +/-0.1 0.5% +/-0.1
$15,000 to $24,999 36,344,395 +/-102,816 8.6% +/-0.1 3.2% +/-0.1 2.4% +/-0.1 0.5% +/-0.1
$25,000 to $34,999 29,159,794 +/-95,809 8.6% +/-0.1 3.2% +/-0.1 2.2% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
$35,000 to $49,999 32,032,926 +/-96,542 8.0% +/-0.1 3.1% +/-0.1 2.1% +/-0.1 0.3% +/-0.1
$50,000 to $64,999 22,991,935 +/-88,700 7.2% +/-0.1 3.0% +/-0.1 2.2% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
$65,000 to $74,999 9,792,829 +/-49,808 6.6% +/-0.2 2.7% +/-0.1 2.2% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
$75,000 or more 36,374,763 +/-110,636 5.7% +/-0.1 2.4% +/-0.1 2.3% +/-0.1 0.4% +/-0.1
                     
Median income (dollars) 30,286 +/-42 26,274 +/-124 24,466 +/-303 26,219 +/-221 19,025 +/-758
                     
POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS                    
Population 1 year and over for whom poverty status is determined 314,107,511 +/-38,532 7.9% +/-0.1 2.9% +/-0.1 2.2% +/-0.1 0.6% +/-0.1
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 41,824,483 +/-236,191 12.7% +/-0.1 4.2% +/-0.1 2.8% +/-0.1 1.4% +/-0.1
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 27,131,398 +/-159,930 10.2% +/-0.2 3.0% +/-0.1 2.0% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 245,151,630 +/-324,992 6.8% +/-0.1 2.6% +/-0.1 2.1% +/-0.1 0.5% +/-0.1
                     
HOUSING TENURE                    
Population 1 year and over in housing units 313,910,780 +/-33,634 7.9% +/-0.1 2.8% +/-0.1 2.1% +/-0.1 0.6% +/-0.1
Householder lived in owner-occupied housing units 206,794,740 +/-520,622 4.5% +/-0.1 1.9% +/-0.1 1.3% +/-0.1 0.3% +/-0.1
Householder lived in renter-occupied housing units 107,116,040 +/-516,322 14.4% +/-0.1 4.7% +/-0.1 3.8% +/-0.1 1.2% +/-0.1
                     
PERCENT ALLOCATED                    
Residence 1 year ago 7.4% (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X)
  • The universe for the educational attainment data is the population 25 years and older. So I would assume the 2.5% is for the population 25 years and older. You may want to check out table B07409 instead as it has the estimate numbers rather than just percentages.

    Try this link:
    factfinder.census.gov/.../B07409
  • I would think it's the percent of the total (first column, labeled "Total"). So, using your example, people who have a bachelor's degree and moved from a different state would be 2.7% of 43,585,028 (total in first column).

    Subject

    United States

    Total

    Moved; within same county

    Moved; from different county, same state

    Moved; from different state

    Moved; from abroad

    Estimate

    Margin of Error

    Estimate

    Margin of Error

    Estimate

    Margin of Error

    Estimate

    Margin of Error

    Estimate

    Margin of Error

    Bachelor's degree

    43,585,028

    +/-146,108

    7.1%

    +/-0.1

    3.0%

    +/-0.1

    2.7%

    +/-0.1

    0.9%

    +/-0.1