In addition, the survey found that Jefferson residents are more educated than residents of the state as a whole, with 83 percent of the population 25 and over having at least a high school diploma and 27 percent a bachelor’s degree or higher. In comparison, 79 percent of Alabama’s population had a high school diploma and 21 percent a college degree.

       “The American Community Survey provides local areas like Jefferson County with data about their population’s socio economic characteristics every year, rather than every 10 years through a traditional census,” said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon. “This type of information is important in assisting local officials and businesses in planning for the changes that are taking place every day in their communities.”

       Other ACS findings for Jefferson County:

       • Twenty-four percent of the county’s households received Social Security income.

       • Fourteen percent of its residents lived below the poverty line.

       • The median housing cost for homeowners was $981 per month.

       • The median housing cost for renters was $557 per month.

       • Sixty-eight percent of residents owned their homes and 22 percent rented.

       • Forty-five percent of renters spent more than 30 percent of their income on rent.

       The ACS is the largest survey conducted by the Census Bureau. According to Kincannon, it currently queries 820,000 households a year about such diverse matters as their commute time to work, the income they earn and the cost of their housing.

       The Census Bureau now conducts this survey continuously, eliminating the need to collect the same material as part of the once-a-decade census.

       More than $200 billion a year is distributed to states and local jurisdictions based on American Community Survey demographic and socio-economic data. In an effort to provide more accurate and timely data for the nation, the Census Bureau plans to introduce the ACS as a replacement for the census long form in late June, when it will expand the survey to 3 million households annually.

       “It is important that those who receive the American Community Survey respond,” Kincannon said. “It will provide community leaders and decision-makers with the information they need to chart their future development.”

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