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Report on a multiple regression method for making population estimates

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Demography

Abstract

A new method of making population estimates is introduced and contrasted to the standard ratio-correlation method. The new method, called the “difference-correlation method,” produced population estimates for the counties of Michigan which had a smaller mean percentage error than estimates produced by the ratio-correlation method. The differences of proportions which are used in the difference-correlation method will always have means of zero, while the ratios used in the ratio-correlation method have means which vary. Higher intercorrelations among the variables and increased temporal stability of the intercorrelations are two advantages of using differences rather than ratios.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management and Budget, State of Michigan, 48913, Lansing, Michigan

    William O’Hare

  2. Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, 48824, East Lansing, Michigan

    William O’Hare

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  1. William O’Hare
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O’Hare, W. Report on a multiple regression method for making population estimates. Demography 13, 369–379 (1976). https://doi.org/10.2307/2060534

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2060534

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