The U.S. Census Bureau will release the consolidated report on money income, poverty and health insurance coverage for the nation at a news conference on Aug. 29, 2006 at 10 a.m. The data is derived from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the Current Population Survey (CPS). Simultaneously, the Census Bureau will release economic profiles from the 2005 American Community Survey (ACS) for all areas within the United States with a population of 65,000 or greater. The ACS release will also include a report with data on income, earnings and poverty, as well as online tables on other socioeconomic topics.

     The Census Bureau’s CPS-ASEC produces the official national estimates of poverty, as well as estimates of money income and health insurance coverage, collecting detailed information on income sources. Data on health insurance coverage are only available from the CPS-ASEC. In addition to the national-level data, the CPS-ASEC consolidated report provides state-level health insurance estimates. Annual state estimates of median household income and poverty will be available in the ACS report.

     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 variety of topics such as income, earnings, poverty, educational attainment, grandparents as caregivers, median age and household population. Prior to this year, ACS data had been available only for the 236 counties and 70 places with 250,000 or more population. Now, these data will be provided for about 7,000 areas, including all congressional districts and counties, cities and American Indian and Alaska Native areas of 65,000 population or more.

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

     Alternative measures taking into account the effect of taxes and food stamps and other noncash benefits on income will be released at a later date.

     CPS supplementary tables on income, poverty and health insurance coverage will be on the Census Bureau’s Internet site, www.census.gov, as they become available. Additional guidance for data users will clarify when to use the income and poverty estimates from these two surveys and how the surveys differ.

     The Aug. 29 news conference will take place at 10 a.m. EDT in the Morris Hansen Auditorium at Census Bureau headquarters in Suitland, Md. Bus transportation from the National Press Club will be provided. Media may also view the event via a live webcast, listen on a phone “listen-line” or view and record a live satellite video transmission. The formats for the core
tables and other general data documentation for the 2005 ACS release will be posted on a file transfer protocol (FTP) server by mid-August. A media advisory, providing additional information will be issued the week before the event.