On Aug. 30, 2005, at 10 a.m. EDT, the U.S. Census Bureau will hold a news conference to release the consolidated report on money income, poverty and health insurance coverage for our nation — results obtained from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the Current Population Survey (CPS). Simultaneously, the Census Bureau will release findings from the 2004 American Community Survey (ACS), including a report with data on income, earnings and poverty, and online tables with statistics on other socioeconomic characteristics.

     The CPS-ASEC produces the official national estimates of poverty and the Census Bureau’s estimates of money income and health insurance coverage. The CPS-ASEC is designed to collect information on detailed income sources.

     The ACS is the largest survey in the nation and produces the same in-depth socioeconomic data as the decennial census long form, but on an annual basis. The ACS provides subnational statistics on a host of characteristics, such as income, earnings, poverty, educational attainment, average travel time to work and median home values.

     The Census Bureau simultaneously releases the CPS and ACS income and poverty measures because together the two surveys cover the range of geographic coverage areas from the nation to counties, cities and metro areas.

     Alternative measures of income, poverty and material measures of well-being using CPS-ASEC data will be released later this year. These measures take into account the effect of taxes, food stamps and other noncash benefits on income and the presence of consumer durables.

     CPS supplementary tables on income, poverty and health insurance coverage will be put on the Census Bureau’s Internet site as they become available. The attached guidance for data users will provide clarity on when to use the income and poverty estimates from these two surveys, and how the surveys differ.

     The Aug. 30 news conference will take place at 10:00 a.m. EDT at Census Bureau headquarters in Suitland, Md. Bus transportation from the National Press Club will be provided. Media may view the event via a live webcast, listen via a phone “listen-line” or view and record via a live satellite video transmission. The formats for the core tables and other data documentation for the 2004 ACS release will be posted on an FTP server by mid-August. A media advisory will be issued in the week prior to the event providing additional information.

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