Accessing and Using Block Group Data From the ACS

1. Accessing and Using Block Group Data From the ACS Warren A. Brown Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research

2. Using ACS Data for Block Groups • Mapping to Identify Block Groups • Accessing Via DataFerrett • Improving Reliability

3. Using ACS Data for Block Groups • Mapping to Identify Block Groups • Accessing Via DataFerrett • Improving Reliability

4. Mapping in AFF: City of Auburn, NY

5. Mapping in AFF: City of Auburn, NY

6. Mapping Census Tracts

7. Mapping Block Groups

8. Block Groups of Interest

9. List of Block Groups

10. Using ACS Data for Block Groups • Mapping to Identify Block Groups • Accessing Via DataFerrett • Improving Reliability

11. Log in to DataFerretthttp://dataferrett.census.gov

12. Select “DataFerrett”

13. Enter email address

14. Step 1: Get Data

15. Locate the ACS Summary Data Listed below the “5-Year Summary File” are the tables. Scroll down to find the desired topics.

16. Select Topic Table Selected table B25091 dealing with home owner costs. Click on the topic to view all the variables (rows) making up the table.

17. Select Variables Click to highlight rows of the table. Then click on box for “Browse…” to select variables.

18. Features and Limitationsof ACS Summary File A pop up notice providing info about current release

20. Important Features and Limitations of the Current Release of the ACS 5-Year Summary File in DataFerrett December 2011 • I.  Introduction • II.  Important Features and Limitations of the DataFerrett Release on January 31, 2011 • III.  Known Bugs • IV. Geography

21. I.  Introduction • What is available?. • What should I do before accessing this dataset in DataFerrett? • … go through the Supplement to the User Guide for the ACS Summary File • How do I access the ACS Summary File data in DataFerrett? • Differences between the data extracted from DataFerrett and the data downloaded from the Census Bureau FTP site • user selects tables from a list and views or downloads the selected data.

24. II.  Important Features and Limitations (partial list for presentation) • All 930 detailed tables in the ACS Summary File are included • All tables released at the census block group level are included • Thematic mapping is available for several geographic summary levels • For detailed information about the geographic areas for which a detailed table is available, see Appendix E of the ACS Summary File Tech Doc. • New! Margins of Error (MOEs) are now treated as attibutes of the estimates. This means they are no longer selectable as independent variables. The user can now choose to include or exclude the margins of error in an extract. If they are to be included, they can be output in a separate file or interleaved with the estimates in a single extract file.

25. Back to Selecting Variables

26. Browse/Select Variables & Values For each Table select the variables (rows) 1or select ALL variables (whole table)2. Then press “OK” 3 3 2 1

27. Confirmation of Selected Variables

28. Geographic Variables Required Double click on the variable with the X

29. Select Geography Unit: Census Block Group

30. Select Block Group within Census Tract

31. Select Census Tract within County

32. Select County within State

33. Select State: New York

34. Select County: Cayuga

35. Select Tracts: 407; 417; 418; 421

36. Select Block Groups

37. Block Groups Selected - Finish

38. Step 2: Download Data Save Codebook

39. Codebook

40. Select Download Options

41. Notice of Batch Mode

42. Save Query Commands

43. Email Link to Requested Data

44. Email Link to Requested DataEstimates and MOE Files

45. Estimates

46. Estimates in Excel

47. Margins of Error

48. Margins of Error in Excel

49. Using ACS Data for Block Groups • Mapping to Identify Block Groups • Accessing Via DataFerrett • Improving Reliability

50. Interest in webinar? • Mapping and Identifying Tracts and Block Groups • Accessing ACS Data for Tracts and BGs • Assessing Reliability of Estimates • Preparing Reliable Reports