Questions and Answers

American 

Community 

Survey

U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU


AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY www.census.gov/acs/www

What is the American 

Community Survey?

The American Community 

Survey is a survey conducted 

by the U.S. Census Bureau in 

every county, American Indian 

and Alaska Native Area, and 

Hawaiian Home Land. 

The American Community 

Survey provides critical economic, social, demographic, 

and housing information to this 

country’s communities every 

year. Communities tell us the 

American Community Survey 

helps them make informed decisions and is a key to their future. 

Is the American Community 

Survey Part of the 2010 

Census?

Yes. The 2010 Census will focus 

on counting the population. The 

American Community Survey will 

provide communities every year 

the same kind of detailed information previously available only 

when the U.S. Census Bureau 

conducted a population census 

every 10 years.

I have not heard of the 

American Community Survey. 

How long have you been 

conducting it? 

The American Community Survey 

began in 1996 in a sample of 

counties across the country. Today 

the survey is conducted in all 

U.S. counties and in Puerto Rico, 

where it is called the Puerto Rico 

Community Survey.
www.census.gov/acs/www AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY

How are the answers that 

I provide to the American 

Community Survey used?

The questions on the American 

Community Survey are required 

to collect data needed to manage or evaluate government 

programs. These questions are 

essentially the same questions 

that have been asked as part of 

the decennial census.

• Income information makes 

it possible to compare the 

economic levels of different 

areas. Many federal and state 

programs use such data to 

distribute funds for community development.

• Your answers to the questions 

on journey to work are used 

by the U.S. Department of 

Transportation to plan highway improvements, develop 

public transportation services, 

and design programs to ease 

traffic problems.

• Information about age is used 

in federal programs to target 

funds or services to children, 

working-age adults, or the 

elderly. 

• Responses to questions about 

income and housing are

summarized and used by the 

U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development to 

assess the need for housing 

assistance for elderly,

handicapped, and low-income 

homeowners. 

• Information about race, 

Hispanic origin, and language 

spoken at home is used to 

determine bilingual election 

requirements under the Voting 

Rights Act and the monitoring 

of equal employment

opportunities under the Civil 

Rights Act. Race and Hispanic 

origin (or ethnicity) are considered distinct concepts and, 

therefore, require separate 

questions.

• Information about military 

service is used primarily 

by the U.S. Department of 

Veterans Affairs to measure 


AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY www.census.gov/acs/www

 the needs of veterans and to 

evaluate veterans’ programs 

dealing with education, employment, and health care.

How do I benefit by 

answering the American 

Community Survey?

Federal agencies, states, and 

communities say that they do 

not have the up-to-date information they need to better 

understand community issues, 

respond to needs, and allocate 

programs and resources. As 

one community leader said, 

“Guessing is always fun, but 

seldom effective.” 

By responding to the American 

Community Survey questionnaire, you are helping your 

community establish community 

goals, identify community problems and solutions, locate facilities and programs, and measure 

the performance of programs.

The American Community Survey 

data are used by:

• Local governments for budgeting, evaluating programs, 

and planning for community 

development projects.

• Community programs, such 

as those for the elderly, scout 

programs, libraries, banks, 

hospitals, and other community organizations, to provide 

services to the community 

and to locate buildings, services, and programs. 

• Transportation planners,

using journey-to-work information, to plan for peak 

volumes of traffic in order 

to reduce traffic congestion, 

plan for parking, and develop 

strategies, such as carpooling programs and flexible 

work schedules. Decisions are 

made to build new roads or 

add capacity to existing roads, 

and to develop transit systems, 

such as light rail or subways, by 

projecting future needs.
www.census.gov/acs/www AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY

Do I have to answer the 

questions on the American 

Community Survey?

Yes. Your response to this 

survey is required by law (Title 

13, United States Code, Sections 

141, 193, and 221). The same 

law protects the confidentiality of the information that you 

provide. 

Do I have to answer these 

questions every year? 

No. Only a small sample of addresses is selected to participate 

in the American Community 

Survey. An address may only 

be selected for the sample once 

every 5 years. These addresses 

are selected at random and 

represent other addresses in the 

community. That is why it is so 

important that every sampled 

household respond. 

Do I have to answer the 

survey if I am staying at 

this address temporarily?

Yes. If you are staying at the 

address for more than 2 months, 

you must complete the entire 

survey. If you are staying for 2 

months or less, you must still 

complete a portion of the survey, 

according to the instructions. 

A Census Bureau representative 

can assist you. This information 

helps communities plan as the 

population changes at different 

times of the year.

Are my survey answers 

confidential? 

Yes. Your answers are confidential by law under Title 13, United 

States Code, Section 9. This law 

specifies that the Census Bureau 

can use the information provided by individuals for statistical 

purposes only and cannot publish or release information that 

would identify any individual.
AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY www.census.gov/acs/www

How can I see the results of 

the survey?

This information is published on 

the Census Bureau’s American 

FactFinder® Web site at 

http://factfinder.census.gov. 

The data are provided in several 

formats for everyone from beginners (who may just want to 

look at the data) to experienced 

researchers.

American FactFinder® provides 

tables that:

• provide an overview of the 

 data quickly, 

• compare data for different 

 places, and

• provide more extensive data 

 for more detailed research.

Can the police or any 

regulatory agency see my 

answers to the survey? 

No. The Census Bureau protects 

the privacy of your information. 

The police cannot see it and 

no court of law can see it. No 

one can see or use your specific 

answers to enforce any type of 

law. 

If any Census Bureau employee 

were to violate these provisions, 

he or she would be subject 

to severe criminal sanctions 

imposed by Congress—up to 

5 years’ imprisonment and/or 

up to a $250,000 fine (Title 13, 

United States Code, Section 214, 

as amended by Title 18, United 

States Code, Sections 3559 and 

3571).
www.census.gov/acs/www AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY

I am elderly, disabled, or 

otherwise unable to complete 

the American Community 

Survey questionnaire. What 

do I do?

You may designate another 

person to help you, or a Census 

Bureau representative may call 

you or may come to your house

and assist you in completing the 

survey. Respondents may call 1-

800-354-7271 for assistance. 

To produce the most accurate 

results, it is very important that

every household selected for the 

survey participate. 

How can I get additional 

information about the 

American Community 

Survey?

There are several ways to obtain 

information about the American 

Community Survey:

For detailed information, we 

encourage you to visit our Web 

site at:

<www.census.gov/acs/www> 

or call the Census Bureau’s 

Regional Office nearest to you as 

listed below:

Atlanta, GA

1-800-424-6974

Boston, MA

1-800-562-5721

Charlotte, NC

1-800-331-7360

Chicago, IL

1-800-865-6384

Dallas, TX

1-800-835-9752

Denver, CO

1-800-852-6159

Detroit, MI

1-800-432-1495

Kansas City, KS

1-800-728-4748

Los Angeles, CA

1-800-992-3530

New York, NY

1-800-991-2520

Philadelphia, PA

1-866-238-1374

Seattle, WA

1-800-233-3308

Census Bureau Regional Offices
AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY www.census.gov/acs/www

For questions about the 

American Community Survey 

data or how to view survey 

results, call our Customer 

Services line at:

301-763-INFO (4636)

You may also contact us by 

e-mail

cmo.acs@census.gov

or

via U.S. mail at:

American Community Survey

U.S. Census Bureau

4600 Silver Hill Rd. 

Washington, DC 

20233-7500
Phone: 1-888-346-9682

Internet:

www.census.gov/acs/www

E-mail: cmo.acs@census.gov

AMERICAN

COMMUNITY

SURVEY

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
ADDC/07-ACSQA(04-2007)

Issued April 2007