Researching the Population - Recent - Census Information - Research Guides at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

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Researching the Population - Recent

Topics - U.S. Census Bureau
Statistics organized by topic, such as education, health, or business
U.S. Census Bureau: Explore Data
Librarian recommended! Data.census.gov covers population, housing, economic, and geographic data. 2000-present

Use American FactFinder to search for data tables from:

American Community Survey
2000 and 2010 Decennial Censuses
American Housing Survey
Annual Economic Surveys
Annual Surveys of Governments
Census of Governments
Economic Census ...and more

The American Community Survey is the Census Bureau's main source for detailed socioeconomic, population and housing statistics. Data is collected in 1-year and 5-year terms. Consult the chart below for a better understanding of which American Community Survey data will be best for your research.

1-year estimates	1-year supplemental estimates	3-year estimates (Discontinued 2013)	5-year estimates
12 months of collected data Example: 2015 ACS 1-year estimates Date collected between: January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015	12 months of collected data Example: 2015 ACS 1-year supplemental estimates Date collected between: January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015	36 months of collected data Example: 2011-2013 ACS 3-year estimates Date collected between: January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2013	60 months of collected data Example: 2011-2015 ACS 5-year estimates Date collected between: January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015
Data for areas with populations of 65,000+	Data for areas with populations of 20,000+	Data for areas with populations of 20,000+	Data for all areas
Smallest sample size	Smallest sample size	Larger sample size than 1-year	Largest sample size
Less reliable than 3-year or 5-year	Less reliable than 5-year	More reliable than 1-year; less reliable than 5-year	Most reliable
Most current data	Most current data	Less current than 1-year estimates; more current than 5-year	Least current
Annually released: 2005-present	Annually released: 2014-present	Annually released: 2007-2013	Annually released: 2009-present
Best used when	Best used when	Best used when	Best used when
Currency is more important than precision Analyzing large populations	Currency is more important than precision Analyzing smaller populations Examining smaller geographies because the standard 1-year estimates are not available	More precise than 1-year, spans fewer years than 5-year Analyzing smaller populations Examining smaller geographies because the standard 1-year estimates are not available	Precision is more important than currency Analyzing very small populations Examining tracts and other smaller geographies because 1-year estimates are not available

Chart taken from American Community Survey (ACS): When to Use 1-year, 3-year, or 5-year Estimates | U. S. Census Bureau (Revised 2016)

American Community Survey (ACS) Guidance for Data Users
Provides documentation if you need more details or advanced help with the ACS

Other Sources of Data & Statistics

Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Science Research (ICPSR)
A consortium of 750+ academic institutions and research organizations that work to preserve and provide access to social science data. Hosted at University of Michigan
IPUMS USA
"IPUMS USA collects, preserves and harmonizes U.S. census microdata and provides easy access to this data with enhanced documentation. Data includes decennial censuses from 1790 to 2010 and American Community Surveys (ACS) from 2000 to the present."