Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Census Bureau today released the results of the 2009 American Community Survey (ACS). These results, which are based on survey responses collected over the course of the 2009 calendar year, provide information on the nation's socioeconomic, housing and demographic characteristics in that year.

• The ACS data are based on a sample survey of the nation and describe how we live by providing estimates of key social, economic and housing characteristics. This information gives communities and businesses the current information they need to plan investments and services.
• The ACS is one of a series of data products that the Census Bureau will be releasing in the coming months. The first set of 2010 Census data, including the nation's population and congressional apportionment figures for the
  states, will be released by the end of 2010, as required by law.

Today's ACS release covers more than 40 topics, such as income, educational attainment, housing and family structure for all geographies with populations of 65,000 or more.

• These results can be downloaded from the ACS website - http://www.census.gov/acs/www/
• In addition to the ACS data, the Census Bureau is releasing a set of briefs on seven topics: poverty, median household income by state, men's and women's earnings by state, food stamp/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program receipt by state, health insurance coverage among children, disability among the working age population and usual hours worked.

In December, the Census Bureau will release the first set of ACS statistics for all geographic areas, regardless of size.

• Data will be available for every state, county, city, town, and place, as well as for census tracts and block groups. Block group data will be available via download on the ACS website.
• These ACS data will be 5-year estimates based on data collected from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2009.