Synthetic estimation is a statistical technique that estimates small-area statistics by combining national estimates of the relevant characteristics with estimates of other known characteristics of the small geographic area. The advantages of the synthetic estimation approach to local estimation are its intuitive appeal, its simplicity, and its low cost. A major disadvantage is its possibile lack of sensitivity to certain local characteristics. Another method used for the same purpose is the "nearly unbiased" estimator. The mathematics of both methods are presented, including formulas for estimating mean square error and average mean square error. An evaluation of synthetic estimates is demonstrated by comparing the results of a 50-cell grid with the results from 2, 4, 8, and 16-cell grids. (Author/CTM)