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The American Community Survey. HSUG-West Conference October 1, 2004 Berkeley, CA. 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
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The American Community Survey HSUG-West Conference October 1, 2004 Berkeley, CA
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
Background • Concerns with outdated data • Began testing in 1996 • Large-scale testing from 1999 to present • Full Implementation in 2005 pending congressional funding
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
How ACS Data is Collected • Three methods of data collection: • Mail • Telephone (CATI) • Personal Interview (CAPI) • All data collection completed with trained permanent staff
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
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
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
Annual and Multi-Year Estimates • By 2010, long-form data will be available annually down to the Census Block Group. t = Data reflect American Community Survey testing through 2004
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
Housing Data Included • 25 Housing variables included in ACS (http://www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/SQuest/fact.htm)
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
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 1996-1998 • National PUMS files are available for 2000-2002 • State is lowest geographic level available • Beginning in 2006 PUMS files will be produced at • PUMA (~100,000 population) as lowest geographic level
Online Access • Tabular and Narrative Profiles (1999-2003): http://www.census.gov/acs/www/ • American FactFinder (1996-2003): http://factfinder.census.gov/
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