# Presentation: 784654

## The American Community Survey (ACS) 2005 Data Release

## 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**

## 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**

## American Community SurveyProgram 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**

## Full Implementation:Every 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

## 2005 Geographic Areas

| Type of Legal, Administrative, or Statistical Area | Number included in 2005 ACS for the United States | Number included in 2005 ACS for Puerto Rico | Percent of 
All Such Areas |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nation | 1 | -- | 100% |
| States (including DC and Puerto Rico) | 51 | 1 | 100% |
| Census Regions and Census Divisions | 13 | -- | 100% |
| Congressional Districts | 436 | 1 | 100% |
| Urban/Rural State Components (excluding DC) | 50 | 1 | 100% |
| Public Use Micro Data Sample Areas | 2,071 | 30 | 100% |

## 2005 Geographic Areas

| Type of Legal, Administrative, or 
Statistical Area | Number included in 2005 ACS for the United States | Percent of 
All Such Areas | Number included in 2005 ACS for Puerto Rico | Percent of 
All Such Areas |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Metropolitan, Micropolitan and Combined Statistical Areas | 612 | 58% | 11 | 61% |
| Counties and Municipios | 775 | 25% | 12 | 15% |
| School Districts | 878 | 6% | 1 | 100% |
| Places | 492 | 2% | 7 | 3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native Areas | 14 | 2% | -- | -- |
| Minor Civil Divisions | 186 | 1% | -- | -- |

## August 29: Economic Characteristics

_**August 29:**_** Economic Characteristics**

_**August 15:**_**            Demographic & Social Characteristics**

**August**

**August**

_**Early October:**_**      Housing & Detailed Social      Characteristics**

_**November:**_**                      Selected Population Profiles   for Race, Ethnic, &                Ancestry Groups **

**October**

**November**

## 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**

## Interpreting the Data:  Three Factors to Consider

**Interview and residence rules**
**Time periods**
**Reference periods**

## ACS Universe

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

## 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**

## 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**

## 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**

## 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**

## Accessing the Datahttp://factfinder.census.gov

## Data Sets: 2005 ACS

**Data Sets: 2005 ACS**

## Select Your Geography

## Data Profile for Prince George’s County, MD

## Ranking Table List

## Ranking Table by State for Median Age 

## Subject Table List

## U.S. School Enrollment Subject Table

## Base Table List

## Base Table of Sex by Age for U.S.

## Available Geographies

## Geographic Comparison Tables List

## Median Age for Counties by State

## Newsroom (Embargoed Releases)

## For More Information

- Web:   _[www.census.](http://www.census.gov/)__[gov](http://www.census.gov/)_
- General Phone:  888-346-9682
- General Email:  _[cmo.acs@census.gov](mailto:cmo.acs@census.gov)_
- Media Phone:  301-763-3691
- Media Email: _[pio@census.gov](mailto:pio@census.gov)_
- Census Partners Phone:  301-763-1305
- Census Partners Email: _[clo@census.gov](mailto:clo@census.gov)_