The American Community Survey ACS 2005 Data Release

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The American Community Survey (ACS) 2005 Data
Release
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What is the American Community Survey?

• Meets a critical need for information
• Contributes to better informed decisions
• Helps communities meet the needs of their
  residents
• Collect detailed decennial census sample data
  every month instead of only once each decade
• Release tabulations of these data on a yearly
  basis
• Allow the Census Bureau to restructure and
  simplify the decennial census effort

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What is the American Community Survey?

• A large, continuous survey
• Produces single and multi-year estimates of the
  characteristics of the population and housing
• Produces characteristics, not a population count
• Produces information for small areas including
  tracts, block groups and population subgroups
• Key component of the decennial census program

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American Community SurveyProgram Schedule

• ACS Demonstration Period 1996-2004
• ACS full implementation began in 2005
• Every county nationwide
• First full implementation data products Summer,
  2006
• Annually updated data products every year
  thereafter

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Full ImplementationEvery County Nationwide

• 3 million addresses every year throughout the
  U.S. and in Puerto Rico
• Provide single-year period estimates for
  communities of 65,000 or more starting in 2006
• Provide 3-year period estimates for communities
  with populations of 20,000 or more starting in
  2008
• Provide 5-year period estimates starting in 2010

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2005 Geographic Areas
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2005 Geographic Areas
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August 15 Demographic Social
Characteristics
August
August
August 29 Economic Characteristics
Early October Housing Detailed Social
Characteristics
October
November Selected
Population Profiles for Race, Ethnic,
Ancestry Groups
November
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ACS Data Products to be Released Beginning in 2006

• Base Tables (previously called Detailed Tables)
• Data Profiles
• Narrative Profiles
• Subject Tables
• Selected Population Profiles

• Geographic Ranking Tables
• Thematic Maps
• Geographic Comparison Tables
• Analytic Reports
• Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) Files

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Interpreting the Data Three Factors to Consider

• Interview and residence rules
• Time periods
• Reference periods

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ACS Universe

• Household population of the United States and
  Puerto Rico
• Household population ONLY in 2005
• Current resident

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Residence Rules

• Resident of an address if a person
• Lives there year round
• Lives there more than 2 months but not year round
• Is living there now with no other place to live
• Is away now for 2 months or less
• Not a resident of an address if a person
• Lives there 2 months or less with another
  residence
• Is away now for more than 2 months

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ACS Produces Period Estimates

• They describe the characteristics of an area over
  a specific time period
• Contrast with point-in-time estimates that
  describe the characteristics of an area on a
  specific date

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Reference Periods

• ACS uses the interview date as the single
  reference point, or as the end of a reference
  period, for all data collection
• No specific reference period
• Reference period relative to interview date

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Data Comparisons

• If comparing 2005 ACS data with data from
  previous years, note
• Increased sample size, which has an impact on
  sampling variability
• More geographic areas in 2005

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Accessing the Datahttp//factfinder.census.gov
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Data Sets 2005 ACS
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Select Your Geography
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Data Profile for Prince Georges County, MD
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Ranking Table List
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Ranking Table by State for Median Age
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Subject Table List
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U.S. School Enrollment Subject Table
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Base Table List
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Base Table of Sex by Age for U.S.
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Available Geographies
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Geographic Comparison Tables List
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Median Age for Counties by State
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Newsroom (Embargoed Releases)
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For More Information

• Web www.census.gov
• General Phone [phone]
• General Email cmo.acs_at_census.gov
• Media Phone [phone]
• Media Email pio_at_census.gov
• Census Partners Phone [phone]
• Census Partners Email clo_at_census.gov