Information derived from the methods described in this section can provide cost-effective inputs to business decision-making relevant to local markets. The key to interpreting this information is to view it not as a certain forecast, but as one likely scenario given a set of reasonable assumptions applied within standard methodologies and subject to the inherent uncertainty of future population movements.
Data are best estimates of how observed trends and regional projections might roll out on a small spatial scale. They are not based on anecdotal data and should be used in conjunction with local area knowledge that analysts may have. Users are urged to exercise caution when making year-over-year comparisons between series due to updates to source data, improvements to methodologies, and geographic changes. In general, census year-to-current year average annual change is more stable than year-over-year change.