1. The American Community Survey: An Overview
Cheryl V. Chambers, Program Analyst
American Community Survey Office
October 9, 2007

2. Purpose of the ACS
Collect Detailed Decennial Census Sample Data Every Month Instead of Only Once Each Decade
Release Tabulations of These Data on a Yearly Basis

3. Purpose of the ACS Restructure and Simplify the 2010 Census
Improve the accuracy of Census coverage
Improve the relevance and timeliness of detailed data
Reduce operational risk
Contain cost

4. Why is the ACS important?
Many federal agencies set policy at the national and state levels using census data
The ACS allows federal agencies to respond to trends in a timely manner by providing up to date data for use in allocation formulas

5. ACS Facts Response is required by Title 13
Respondents must answer all questions
Estimates are “ok”
Questionnaire assistance hotline
Administered by the Regional Offices
Multiple methods of data collection for non-responders

6. ACS Operations Three month data collection period
Three modes of data collection
Mail
Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI)
Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI)
Data are confidential

7. Information collected in the ACS
Age and relationship
Grandparents responsible for grandchildren
Disability
Language spoken at home and English fluency
Income
Housing costs

8. 2006 ACS Included Group Quarters for the first time
Group Quarters population is 2.7% of the total population
adding these data makes a difference
Caution when comparing 2006 ACS to earlier years
Comparable to 2000 Census

9. What are Group Quarters?
Places where people live or stay that are normally owned or managed by an entity or organization that provides housing and/or services to residents
Services may include custodial or medical care as well as other types of assistance
Residency is commonly restricted to those receiving offered services
People living in group quarters are usually not related to each other

10. Institutional and Non-Institutional Group Quarters
Group quarters are categorized into two groups
Institutional
Non-institutional

11. Institutional Group Quarters
Includes facilities for people under formally authorized, supervised care or custody at the time of interview
Adult Correctional Facilities
Nursing/Skilled Nursing Facilities
In-patient Hospice Facilities
Mental (Psychiatric Hospitals)
Group Homes for Juveniles
Residential Treatment Centers for Juveniles

12. Non-Institutional Group Quarters
Includes facilities that are not classified as institutional group quarters
College/University Housing
Group Homes Intended for Adults
Residential Treatment Facilities for Adults
Workers’ Group Living Quarters
Job Corps Centers
Religious Group Quarters

13. Release Schedule for ACS Data Products
Data products are released in the year following the single-year or multi-year period in which data are collected.

14. ACS Releases--2007 Aug. 28, 2007: Sept. 12, 2007: Sept. 27, 2007:
Income, earnings and poverty data
Sept. 12, 2007:
Social, economic and housing characteristics; demographic and housing estimates; Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) File; data profiles; geographic comparison tables; ranking tables; narrative profiles
Sept. 27, 2007:
Selected Population Profiles; Workplace Base Tables; Group Quarters Data Profiles 14 14

16. American Community Survey Office
For More Information
American Community Survey Office
ACS Alert
Cheryl V. Chambers