American Community Survey (ACS)

Informing you about news, events, data releases, congressional actions, and other developments associated with the American Community Survey (ACS).

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News in this Alert

• Census Bureau Releases ACS-Census 2000 Comparison Report on Selected Physical and Financial Housing Characteristics
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Census Bureau Releases ACS-Census 2000 Comparison Report on Selected Physical and Financial Housing Characteristics

The Census Bureau recently released the 10th and final report in a series designed to address operational and technical aspects of the ACS. The report provides a starting point for measuring and understanding the differences in the estimates of the physical and financial characteristics of the nation's housing between those produced in the past by decennial census samples and those that will be produced in the future by the ACS.

The report compares single-year Census 2000 Supplementary Survey (C2SS) national and county-level estimates (selected counties only) with Census 2000 sample data. Here are some findings from this report:

• Distributions of physical and financial housing characteristics from the Census 2000 sample and C2SS were very similar. The census found nothing to preclude the use of ACS housing estimates for any purpose for which Census 2000 sample estimates have been used.



• Different residence rules in Census 2000 and C2SS may have affected some housing estimates, but the differences, once ACS goes nationwide, most likely would be confined to highly seasonal areas.



• A review of the housing results by data collection mode suggests that differences, when found, were more likely to be reflected in the data collected by enumerators and interviewers than in self-response data.



• Differences in several financial characteristics may primarily be a reflection of the way the data collection spanned the different time frames of the Census 2000 sample and C2SS.



• Some differences in the final estimates are probably explained by the different levels of nonresponse between the Census 2000 sample and the C2SS.

The report found that housing estimates derived using the ACS methods and design are highly acceptable for use in all ways that decennial sample housing estimates have been used.

Click http://www.census.gov/acs/www/AdvMeth/Reports.htm to view "Meeting 21st Century Demographic Data Needs-Implementing the American Community Survey, Report 10: Comparing Selected Physical and Financial Characteristics of Housing with Census 2000."

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