Tract-level, Residence-rule Independent, Coverage-error Adjustment of the American
Community Survey (ACS) Using An Administrative Records Match
Elizabeth Huang, Donald Malec, Jerry Maples, Lynn Weidman
KEY WORDS: Tract-level Coverage Error, Administrative Records Matching, The American Community Survey,
Estimation Controls
ABSTRACT
In order to reduce variance and correct for coverage of ACS estimates, there is a desire for
controlling estimates of demographic characteristics at the tract level. Currently, intercensal population
controls are based on “usual residence” and are not available at the tract level, while the ACS produces
estimates at the tract level that are based on “current residence”. This project proposes a way to use new
controls, obtained by matching the ACS sample to an administrative records file, and then controlling sample
estimates of administrative record tract counts to their known tract totals. By matching to administrative
records addresses, this procedure achieves a consistent residence rule between sample and control. To evaluate
the effects of coverage error in the administrative records and matching error with the sample, the procedure
is applied to the Census 2000 long-form, where the correct population totals are known from the Census
2000 short-form.
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