What is the American Community Survey (ACS) and How is it Related to the U.S. Census Bureau?

What Is the American Community Survey?

The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau in every county, American Indian and Alaska Native Area, and Hawaiian Home Land.  It is designed to provide communities with reliable and timely demographic, social, economic, and housing data every year.  It has an annual sample size of about 3 million addresses across the United States and Puerto Rico and includes both housing units and group quarters. The ACS is conducted in every county throughout the nation and every municipio in Puerto Rico, where it is called the Puerto Rico Community Survey.  

The American Community Survey  is part of the 2010 Census.  The 2010 Census will focus on counting the population.  The American Community Survey will provide communities every year with the same kind of detailed information previously available only when the U.S. Census Bureau conducted a population census every 10 years.

For information on the ACS sample design and other topics, visit www.census.gov/acs/www


2006-2008 ACS 3-Year Estimates

Beginning in 2006, ACS data for 2005 were released for geographic areas with populations of 65,000 and greater.  In 2008, the first set of multiyear estimates was released for data collected between January 2005 and December 2007. These 3-year estimates were published for geographic areas with populations of 20,000 and greater. The U.S. Census Bureau is planning to release the first 5-year estimates in late 2010 for the smallest geographic areas based on data collected between January 2005 and December 2009.

The estimates represent the average characteristics of population and housing between January 2006 and December 2008 and DO NOT represent a single point in time.

Because these data are collected over 3 years, we are able to include estimates for geographic areas with populations of 20,000 or more. The ACS 1-year estimates are only available for geographic areas with populations of 65,000 or more.