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The Census Bureau offers a wide variety of general purpose data products from the American Community Survey (ACS). These products are designed to meet the needs of the majority of data users and contain predefined sets of data for standard census geographic areas, including both political and statistical geography. These products are available on the American FactFinder and the ACS Website.
For users with data needs not met through the general purpose products, the Census Bureau offers "custom" Custom Tabulations on a cost-reimbursable basis, with the American Community Survey Custom Tabulation Program. Custom Tabulations are created by tabulating data from ACS microdata files. They vary in size, complexity, and cost depending on the needs of the sponsoring client.
Any data collected within the content of the ACS questionnaires could be made available in a Custom Tabulation, assuming there is no disclosure risk. The ACS questionnaires are available on this website, in the Survey Basics section.
Among subjects on the questionnaires are:
Percentages, rates, and other indicators such as poverty status and selected monthly owner costs can be calculated as part of the Custom Tabulations.
Currently ACS data is available for the nation, states, and selected sub-state areas, such as counties, places, and metropolitan statistical areas with a population of 250,000 or more (and limited selected areas of 65,000 or more).
Once full implementation data becomes available, Custom Tabulations can be done for standard census geographic entities such as census tracts, American Indian and Alaska Native areas, and so forth. In addition, it may be possible for data to be tabulated for user-defined areas such as aggregations of the standard census entities. For example, data for a user-defined neighborhood could be tabulated using census tracts as a building block. The Census Bureau reviews every Custom Tabulation request for confidentiality concerns, which may prevent the creation and release of the data requested.
When requesting a Custom Tabulation, the sponsor should provide a preliminary specification of the data desired. If needed, further discussions will take place and we will work with you on developing a final, detailed specification that documents both your data needs and your geographic requirements. Preliminary specifications should include:
This information should be filled out using the online ACS Custom Tabulation Information form.
Once we have agreed on the specification, we send it to our Disclosure Review Board (DRB). The DRB is a panel of Census Bureau staff chartered to protect the confidentiality of individuals (or business establishments). Their role for the ACS is to review each specification and to recommend changes, if necessary, to protect confidentiality.
All Custom Tabulation specifications must be reviewed and approved by the DRB. Some Custom Tabulation requests may not be accommodated due to concerns with quality, in addition to confidentiality.
At a minimum, all data cells must be rounded. Other examples of the types of changes that the DRB has required include aggregation of smaller levels of geography into larger ones and changes to small population groups used as the universe due to the thresholds. Please see the Disclosure Review Board Rules/Requirements of this website for further information on their policies.
For more information, see the Census Bureau’s confidentiality statement and documented work on Statistical Disclosure Control.
Once details of a Custom Tabulation are clearly defined, we will determine staff availability for performing the work within the requested time frame. Then, we will be able to deliver a cost and timing estimate to the sponsor.
The cost of a Custom Tabulation is fully funded by the sponsor. The cost is determined by such things as specifications of the Custom Tabulation, the amount of programming it requires, as well as, the review of output.
The timing of delivery depends on the level of complexity of the Custom Tabulation and the current number of Custom Tabulation requests in progress. Custom Tabulations must be scheduled so that they do not interfere with the requirements of the Census Bureau work authorized by direct appropriations.
Kai Wu
Chief, Data Requirements Branch
American Community Survey Office
U.S. Census Bureau
Phone: (301) 763-2626
Email: kai.t.wu@census.gov