Using the 2005 American Community Survey

Abstract

In August through October 2006, the Bureau of the Census released the first products from the nationwide American Community Survey. Eagerly awaited by users, this data set provided the first update to 2000 Census numbers for small areas across the nation. A full range of variables is available for states, for counties and places of 65,000 population or more, and for towns/townships of the same size in selected states. The release also included other geographic areas, such as congressional districts and school districts, which meet the 65,000 population threshold. The data are all available on the Internet through the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder website. The products take a variety of forms. They include: • Profiles for geographic areas. These profiles are useful, but take too many pages in printing. They need to be more compact and print in a neat format suitable for lay consumption. • Selected population profiles. These are available for only a few population groups in a few areas. They are difficult to use because, to compare groups with each other, the user must download each profile separately and then cut and paste to make a comparison document. • Subject tables. These tables are useful if the particular tabulations happen to meet the user’s needs. They are likely most helpful in libraries. One flaw is that only one geographic area can be examined at a time. • Geographic comparison tables. These tables are of limited use because they show only one variable at a time. They are helpful for such inquiries as, “what county has the highest median income in the state?,” although at this time only counties of 65,000 or more population are included. • Thematic maps. These maps have a fairly high learning curve. The effort is worthwhile for some applications. Chapter 3 Using the 2005 American Community Survey