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HALLEY

A Population Analysis Program

HALLEY is a population analysis program named after Edmund Halley, the inventor of the life expectancy table (1693). The program takes data, by gender and age groups separately, on the population and number of deaths and constructs a life expectancy table. The user can then estimate the implicit growth rate using a stable population model. If the number of births by women of different age groups is entered, a birth table allows the estimation of future child-women ratios. Finally, the program allows adjustments for net-migration and will make a population projection over the next 10 years, given assumptions about mortality, fertility and migration.

The full, and correct, citation for HALLEY is:

  • Ned Levine, "The Construction of a Population Analysis Program Using A Microcomputer Spreadsheet". Journal of the American Planning Association. 1985. 51 4(Autumn): 496-511

Here is the HALLEY program in a PKZIP file. Unzip the file. Open the file into Lotus 1-2-3 or another spreadsheet program, and then type ALT-S to bring up the menu (CTRL-S in Excel). The program should be relatively straightforward. See the article for more details.