Ask a Librarian
Researching the Population - Recent
- Topics - U.S. Census BureauStatistics organized by topic, such as education, health, or business
- U.S. Census Bureau: Explore DataLibrarian 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: Date collected between: |
12 months of collected data Example: Date collected between: |
36 months of collected data Example: Date collected between: |
60 months of collected data Example: Date collected between: |
| 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 UsersProvides 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."