
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)