1 The American Community Survey HSUG-West Conference October 1, 2004 Berkeley, CA

2 What is the American Community Survey? A large, continuous demographic survey Annual estimates on detailed social, economic, and housing characteristics Produces more timely information for small areas Will replace census long-form in 2010

3 Background Concerns with outdated data Began testing in 1996 Large-scale testing from 1999 to present Full Implementation in 2005 pending congressional funding

4 ACS-to-Census Comparison 20 million long-form households 250,000 households a month in ACS 3 million households a year Households contacted once every 5 years at most

5 How ACS Data is Collected Three methods of data collection: –Mail –Telephone (CATI) –Personal Interview (CAPI) All data collection completed with trained permanent staff

6 Master Address File (MAF) Sample cases selected from an updated Census 2000 Master Address File (MAF) Continual update through the use of –Delivery Sequence File from USPS –Community Address Updating System

7 Full Implementation 2005 Implement an annual national sample of 3 million addresses Provide profiles every year for communities of 65,000 or more Provide 3- and 5-year accumulations for communities of less than 65,000 population

8 Group Quarters Start delayed until January 2006 Includes all types of GQs except street homeless, ships at sea, domestic violence shelters, and natural disaster shelters First tested in the ACS in 1999 and 2001

9 Annual and Multi-Year Estimates t = Data reflect American Community Survey testing through 2004 By 2010, long-form data will be available annually down to the Census Block Group.

10 ACS Content Similar to the long-form, ACS will provide information on: –Families, children, the elderly –Income, poverty –Educational attainment, school enrollment –Work, unemployment –Disability –Immigration, language ability –Housing –And more

11 Housing Data Included 25 Housing variables included in ACS ( SQuest/fact.htm) SQuest/fact.htm

12 Current ACS Data Products Base Tables (American FactFinder) – More than 800 tables similar in content to Census 2000 SF3 Tabular Profiles –Single-year and change profiles General Demographics, Social Characteristics, Economic Characteristics, Housing Characteristics Narrative Profiles Geographic Ranking Tables

13 ACS PUMS Files Allows the user to create their own cross- tabulations using a 1% sample of the universe PUMS files produced for ACS sites in National PUMS files are available for –State is lowest geographic level available Beginning in 2006 PUMS files will be produced at –PUMA (~100,000 population) as lowest geographic level

14 Online Access Tabular and Narrative Profiles ( ): American FactFinder ( ):

15 Concerns About ACS Adequate funding year-to-year Sufficient sample sizes Accurate and up-to-date Master Address File Group Quarters population Using averaged data for smaller geographies

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