65-765: The American Community Survey ( ACS ) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau . It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census , including ancestry, US citizenship status, educational attainment, income, language proficiency, migration, disability , employment, and housing characteristics. These data are used by many public-sector , private-sector , and not-for-profit stakeholders to allocate funding, track shifting demographics, plan for emergencies, and learn about local communities. Sent to approximately 295,000 addresses monthly, or 3.5 million addresses annually, it
130-832: A writ of certiorari . A number of other courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have held through the years that the Census and the questions in the Census are authorized by both the Constitution and Congressional statute. In 2002, the General Accounting Office confirmed that the U.S. Census Bureau has authority to conduct the survey and "require responses from the public". All individual American Community Survey responses are kept private and are used (along with other ACS responses) to create estimates of demographic characteristics for various geographies. Because of data swapping techniques to ensure confidentiality, it
195-504: A "long form" of the 1990 census, which contained more than 100 questions. Full documentation on the 1990 census, including census forms and a procedural history, is available from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series . It was the first census to designate " Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander " as a racial group separate from Asians . The census was also the first census to be directed by
260-551: A larger area. It has also provided unparalleled information to be more accessible for local government planning and financing. Many conclusions for local data are averaged from various information across the area, but it is not always an adequate representation. ACS estimates are available via a number of online data tools. U.S. Census website (AFF) is the primary tool for disseminating ACS data, allowing users to drill down to specific tables and geographies (starting with 2013 estimates, AFF also includes block group data). A selection of
325-448: A ledger. Beginning in 1970 information was gathered via mailed forms. To reduce paper usage, reduce payroll expense and acquire the most comprehensive list of addresses ever compiled, 500,000 handheld computers (HHCs) (specifically designed, single-purpose devices) were used for the first time in 2009 during the address canvassing portion of the 2010 Decennial Census Project. Projected savings were estimated to be over $ 1 billion. The HHC
390-511: A northern and southern half called "divisions". In the following decades, several other systems were used, until the current one was introduced in 1910. This system has seen only minor changes: New Mexico and Arizona were both added to the Mountain division upon statehood in 1912, the North region was divided into a Northeast and a North Central region in 1940, Alaska and Hawaii were both added to
455-839: A proposal to make the American Community Survey voluntary. Signers included the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , the National Association of Realtors , and the U.S. Conference of Mayors . The letter cited results from a congressionally mandated test of a voluntary ACS that found that mail response rates would drop "dramatically," by more than 20 percentage points. The resulting loss in quality and reliability would essentially eliminate data for 41 percent of US counties, small cities, towns and villages, many school districts, neighborhoods, remote areas, and American Indian reservations. United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau ( USCB ), officially
520-458: A real-time estimate in U.S. and World Population Clock. Only peoples whose live in the 50 states and within the District of Columbia are included in the estimation. The United States Census Bureau is committed to confidentiality and guarantees non-disclosure of any addresses or personal information related to individuals or establishments. Title 13 of the U.S. Code establishes penalties for
585-606: A woman, Barbara Everitt Bryant . To increase black participation in the 1990 United States census, the bureau recruited Bill Cosby , Magic Johnson , Alfre Woodard , and Miss America Debbye Turner as spokespeople. The Integrated Public Use Microdata Series . Aggregate data for small areas, together with electronic boundary files, can be downloaded from the National Historical Geographic Information System . Personally identifiable information will be available in 2062. This
650-496: A zero and uses the term " decennial " to describe the operation. Between censuses, the Census Bureau makes population estimates and projections. In addition, census data directly affects how more than $ 400 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health , education, transportation and more. The Census Bureau is mandated with fulfilling these obligations:
715-482: Is at stake, the census also runs the risk of being politicized." Such political tensions highlight the complexity of identity and classification ; some argue that unclear results from the population data "is due to distortions brought about by political pressures." One frequently used example includes ambiguous ethnic counts, which often involves underenumeration and/or undercounting of minority populations. Ideas about race, ethnicity and identity have also evolved in
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#1732765199672780-534: Is conducting the U.S. census every ten years, which allocates the seats of the U.S. House of Representatives to the states based on their population. The bureau's various censuses and surveys help allocate over $ 675 billion in federal funds every year and it assists states, local communities, and businesses make informed decisions. The information provided by the census informs decisions on where to build and maintain schools, hospitals, transportation infrastructure, and police and fire departments. In addition to
845-403: Is impossible to figure out how individual people responded based on data from published ACS estimates. Opponents of the American Community Survey disagree with the court's findings about its constitutionality, contending that the survey asks for more information and at a higher frequency than the simple enumeration authorized and required by Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution . Despite
910-553: Is pervasive. The territories are not included, but the District of Columbia is. Regional divisions used by the United States Census Bureau: The first census was collected in 1790 and published in 1791. It was 56 pages and cost $ 44,377.28. The current system was introduced for the 1910 census, but other ways of grouping states were used historically by the Census Bureau. The first of these
975-617: Is the largest household survey that the Census Bureau administers. The American Community Survey gathers information annually in the 50 U.S. states , the federal national capital city of Washington, D.C. ( District of Columbia ), and (via the Puerto Rico Community Survey ( PRCS ), which is part of the ACS) for the associated Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea . It does not gather information in
1040-609: Is the only US territory that is part of the ACS program. In order to balance geographic resolution, temporal frequency, statistical significance, and respondent privacy, ACS estimates released each year are aggregated from responses received in the previous calendar year or the previous five calendar years. The Census Bureau provides guidance for data users about which data set to use when analyzing different population and geography sizes. From 2007 to 2013, three-year estimates were available for areas with 20,000 people or more. This data product
1105-805: The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and the National Science Foundation (NSF), among others. Since 1903, the official census-taking agency of the United States government has been the Bureau of the Census. The Census Bureau is headed by a director, assisted by a deputy director and an executive staff composed of
1170-690: The Bureau of the Census , is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System , responsible for producing data about the American people and economy . The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce and its director is appointed by the President of the United States . Currently, Robert Santos is the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau and Ron S. Jarmin is the Deputy Director. The Census Bureau's primary mission
1235-494: The Census Information Center cooperative program that involves 58 "national, regional, and local non-profit organizations". The CIC program aims to represent the interests of underserved communities. The 1890 census was the first to use the electric tabulating machines invented by Herman Hollerith . For 1890–1940 details, see Truesdell, Leon E. (1965). The Development of Punch Card Tabulation in
1300-628: The Government Accountability Office 's conclusion that the U.S. Census Bureau has the authority to conduct the survey under 13 U.S.C. § 141 and 13 U.S.C. § 193 , several US representatives have challenged the ACS as unauthorized by the Census Act and a violation of the Right to Financial Privacy Act . U.S. Representative (congressman) Ron Paul of Texas , who opposes ACS, said that
1365-573: The Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), freely accessible through the Census Bureau website and Integrated Public Use Microdata Series . PUMS data contain responses to every question from a sample of respondents. To protect respondent privacy, PUMS data are anonymized and only available down to areas containing 100,000 people or more known as Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs). The analysis of all ACS microdata without
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#17327651996721430-646: The Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) database system. Census officials were able to evaluate the more sophisticated and detailed results that the TIGER system produced; furthermore, TIGER data is also available to the public. And while the TIGER system does not directly amass demographic data, as a geographic information system (GIS), it can be used to merge demographics to conduct more accurate geospatial and mapping analysis. In July 2019,
1495-514: The founding fathers of the United States "never authorized the federal government to continuously survey the American people". Those who decline to complete the survey may receive visits to their homes from Census Bureau personnel. Because it is a mandatory survey, it is governed by federal laws that could impose a fine of as much as $ 5,000 on those who flagrantly refuse to participate. To date, no person has been prosecuted for refusing to answer
1560-553: The ACS. Kenneth Prewitt , the former director of the U.S. Census Bureau, said in March 2000 that the United States Department of Commerce is "not an enforcement agency" and that the parallel United States Department of Justice in the presidential cabinet would be responsible for prosecuting violations, adding that "we don't recommend that". The Census Bureau prefers to gain cooperation by convincing respondents of
1625-616: The ACS. Each address has about a 1-in-480 chance of being selected in a given month, and no address should be selected more than once every five years. Data is collected by internet, mail, telephone interviews, and in-person interviews. The questionnaire is available in English and Spanish, with assistance provided in additional languages. Approximately one-third of those who do not respond to the survey by mail or telephone are randomly selected for in-person interviews. About 95 percent of households across all response modes ultimately participate in
1690-428: The Bureau of the Census, 1890–1940: With outlines of actual tabulation programs . U.S. GPO . In 1946, knowing of the bureau's funding of Hollerith and, later, Powers , John Mauchly approached the bureau about early funding for UNIVAC development. A UNIVAC I computer was accepted by the bureau in 1951. Historically, the census information was gathered by census takers going door-to-door collecting information in
1755-518: The Bureau pretests surveys and digital products before they are fielded and then evaluates them after they have been conducted. 1990 United States census The 1990 United States census , conducted by the Census Bureau , determined the resident population of the United States to be 248,709,873, an increase of 9.8 percent over the 226,545,805 persons enumerated during the 1980 census . Approximately 16 percent of households received
1820-430: The Census Bureau could release "period" estimates to produce estimates for smaller areas. After a decade of testing, it launched as the American Community Survey in 2005, replacing the once-a-decade census long form. The American Community Survey initially sampled approximately 3.5 million housing unit addresses and group quarters in the United States. The Census Bureau selects a random sample of addresses to be included in
1885-559: The Census Bureau released individual information regarding several hundred young men to the Justice Department and Selective Service system for the purpose of prosecutions for draft evasion. During World War II , the United States Census Bureau assisted the government's Japanese American internment efforts by providing confidential neighborhood information on Japanese-Americans . The bureau's role
1950-406: The Census Bureau stopped releasing new data via American FactFinder, which was decommissioned in March 2020 after 20 years of being the agency's primary tool for data dissemination. The new platform is data.census.gov. Throughout the decade between censuses, the bureau conducts surveys to produce a general view and comprehensive study of the United States' social and economic conditions. Staff from
2015-524: The Current Surveys Program conduct over 130 ongoing and special surveys about people and their characteristics. A network of professional field representatives gathers information from a sample of households, responding to questions about employment, consumer expenditures, health, housing, and other topics. Surveys conducted between decades: The Census Bureau also collects information on behalf of survey sponsors. These sponsors include
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2080-501: The HHC. Since the units were updated nightly with important changes and updates, operator implementation of proper procedure was imperative. Census Bureau stays current by conducting research studies to improve the work that they do. Census researchers explore topics about survey innovations, participation, and data accuracy, such as undercount, overcount, the use of technologies, multilingual research, and ways to reduce costs. In addition,
2145-455: The Nation's people and economy." Only after 72 years does the information collected become available to other agencies or the general public. Seventy-two years was picked because usually by 72 years since the census is taken, most participants would be deceased. Despite these guarantees of confidentiality, the Census Bureau has some history of disclosures to other government agencies. In 1918,
2210-592: The Pacific division upon statehood in 1959, and the North Central region was renamed the Midwest in 1984. Many federal, state, local and tribal governments use census data to: Census data is used to determine how seats of Congress are distributed to states. Census data is not used to determine or define race genetically, biologically or anthropologically. The census data is also used by the Bureau to obtain
2275-498: The U.S. Code. By law, the Census Bureau must count everyone and submit state population totals to the U.S. president by December 31 of any year ending in a zero. States within the Union receive the results in the spring of the following year. The United States Census Bureau defines four statistical regions, with nine divisions. The Census Bureau regions are "widely used...for data collection and analysis". The Census Bureau definition
2340-516: The United States or foreign governments, or law enforcement agencies such as the IRS or the FBI or Interpol . "Providing quality data, for public good—while respecting individual privacy and, at the same time, protecting confidentiality—is the Census Bureau's core responsibility"; "Keeping the public's trust is critical to the Census's ability to carry out the mission as the leading source of quality data about
2405-581: The United States, and such changes warrant examination of how these shifts have impacted the accuracy of census data over time. The United States Census Bureau began pursuing technological innovations to improve the precision of its census data collection in the 1980s. Robert W. Marx, the Chief of the Geography Division of the USCB teamed up with the U.S. Geological Survey and oversaw the creation of
2470-464: The administrators and statisticians / mathematicians of the United States Census Bureau ( Bureau of the Census ), first established in 1902 within the United States Department of Commerce , to begin asking a sample of the American population a sub-set of additional detailed questions without unduly increasing cost or respondent burden. In the decades that followed, new questions were added to those that had previously been asked of all respondents, and all
2535-570: The associate directors. The Census Bureau headquarters has been in Suitland, Maryland , since 1942. A new headquarters complex completed there in 2007 supports over 4,000 employees. > The bureau operates regional offices in 6 cities: > New York City , Philadelphia , Chicago , Atlanta , Denver , and Los Angeles . The National Processing Center is in Jeffersonville, Indiana . Additional temporary processing facilities facilitate
2600-515: The census was taken by marshals of the judicial districts . The Census Act of 1840 established a central office which became known as the Census Office. Several acts followed that revised and authorized new censuses, typically at the 10-year intervals. In 1902, the temporary Census Office was moved under the Department of Interior , and in 1903 it was renamed the Census Bureau under the new Department of Commerce and Labor . The department
2665-792: The collecting of statistics about the nation, its people, and economy. The Census Bureau's legal authority is codified in Title 13 of the United States Code . The Census Bureau also conducts surveys on behalf of various federal government and local government agencies on topics such as employment, crime, health, consumer expenditures , and housing. Within the bureau, these are known as "demographic surveys" and are conducted perpetually between and during decennial (10-year) population counts. The Census Bureau also conducts economic surveys of manufacturing, retail, service, and other establishments and of domestic governments. Between 1790 and 1840,
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2730-540: The count. At the Congress's request, the U.S. Census Bureau in the United States Department of Commerce , developed and tested a new design to obtain long-form data. noted U.S. statistician / mathematician Leslie Kish (1910-2000), had introduced the concept of a rolling sample (or continuous measurement) design in 1981. This design featured ongoing, monthly data collection aggregated on a yearly basis, enabling annual data releases. By combining multiple years of this data,
2795-475: The creation of a mid-decade census, holding hearings and even authorizing a special mid-decade census in the American Bicentennial year of 1976, but not funding it. Efforts to obtain data on a more frequent basis began again after the 1990 U.S. Decennial Census , when it became clear that the more burdensome long form was depressing overall census response rates and jeopardizing the accuracy of
2860-572: The decennial census, the Census Bureau continually conducts over 130 surveys and programs a year, including the American Community Survey , the U.S. Economic Census , and the Current Population Survey . The U.S. Economic Census occurs every five years and reports on American Business and the American economy in order to plan business decisions. Furthermore, economic and foreign trade indicators released by
2925-500: The decennial census, which employs more than a million people. The cost of the 2000 census was $ 4.5 billion. During the years just prior to the decennial census, parallel census offices, known as "Regional Census Centers" are opened in the field office cities. The decennial operations are carried out from these facilities. The Regional Census Centers oversee the openings and closings of smaller "Area Census Offices" within their collection jurisdictions. In 2020, Regional Census Centers oversaw
2990-529: The disclosure of this information. All census employees must sign an affidavit of non-disclosure prior to employment. This non-disclosure states "I will not disclose any information contained in the schedules, lists, or statements obtained for or prepared by the Census Bureau to any person or persons either during or after employment." The punishment for breaking the non-disclosure is a fine up to $ 250,000 or 5 years in prison. The bureau cannot share responses, addresses or personal information with anyone, including
3055-702: The distribution of $ 416 billion, 29 percent of all federal assistance. The American Community Survey is authorized by 13 U.S.C. § 141 and 13 U.S.C. § 193. Federal courts have held that the long form is constitutional. In 2000, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled that the 2000 U.S. Decennial Census and its questions did not violate the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution or any other constitutional provisions that were alleged in
3120-658: The federal government typically contain data produced by the Census Bureau. Article One of the United States Constitution (section II) directs the population be enumerated at least once every ten years and the resulting counts used to set the number of members from each state in the House of Representatives and, by extension, in the Electoral College . The Census Bureau now conducts a full population count every ten years in years ending with
3185-580: The federal lawsuit initiated by the plaintiffs. The federal district court said responses to census questions are not a violation of an American citizen's right to privacy or free speech. The U.S. District Court's decision in Texas was later affirmed by the higher United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on appeal, and the Supreme Court of the United States denied the petition for
3250-444: The first United States Decennial Census three years later in 1790 , congressional legislators understood that it should also collect basic demographic information beyond just the number of people in the household. James Madison (1751-1836), an American Founding Father and the fourth President of the United States (served 1809-1817), first proposed including additional questions in the U.S. Decennial Census to "enable them to adapt
3315-511: The importance of participation while acknowledging that the mandate improves response rates (and thus accuracy) and lowers the annual cost of survey administration by more than $ 90 million. In 2014, the Census Project , a collaboration of pro-Census business and industry associations, gathered signatures from 96 national and local organizations urging the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to reject
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#17327651996723380-567: The most popular tables is shown in QuickFacts . Other tools include OnTheMap for Emergency Management , Census Business Builder and My Congressional District . My Tribal Area featuring 5-year estimates for federally recognized tribes, launched in 2017. The Summary File is the most detailed data source and is available as a series of downloadable text files or through an application programming interface (API) for software developers. Custom cross-tabulations of ACS questions can be made using
3445-638: The operation of 248 Area Census Offices, The estimated cost of the 2010 census is $ 14.7 billion. On January 1, 2013, the Census Bureau consolidated its twelve regional offices into six. Increasing costs of data collection, changes in survey management tools such as laptops and the increasing use of multi-modal surveys (i.e. internet, telephone, and in-person) led the Bureau to consolidate. The six regional offices that closed were Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City and Seattle. The remaining regional offices are New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, and Los Angeles. The Census Bureau also runs
3510-550: The other four major U.S. territories / commonwealths and associated states of American Samoa , Guam , Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific Ocean , and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea . The Article I, Section II of the Constitution of the United States of 1787, adopted 1788, requires an enumeration of the population every ten years "in such Manner as they (Congress) shall by Law direct". From
3575-445: The populace's private information. Enumerators (information gatherers) that had operational problems with the device understandably made negative reports. During the 2009 Senate confirmation hearings for Robert Groves , President Obama's Census Director appointee, there was much mention of problems but very little criticism of the units. In rural areas, the sparsity of cell phone towers caused problems with data transmission to and from
3640-469: The public measures to the particular circumstances of the community". Such knowledge collected with each census, President Madison argued, "would give them an opportunity of marking the progress of the society". The questions included in censuses since 1790 have reflected American understandings of and concerns about societal trends and the growing nation's expanded data needs. By 130 years later in 1940, advancements in statistical methods and knowledge enabled
3705-500: The questions were moved to the sample questionnaire form. As the sample form grew longer than the census form itself, it became known as the Census "long form". Following the 1960 U.S. Decennial Census , federal, state, and local governmental officials, and some in the private sector began demanding more timely long-form-type data. Lawmakers representing rural districts claimed they were at a data disadvantage, unable to self-fund additional surveys of their populations. Congress explored
3770-976: The sampling and anonymization in PUMS is restricted to qualified researchers at secure Federal Statistical Research Data Centers (FSRDCs). The Census Bureau conducts research and evaluation projects, including survey methodology research, important for the improvement of the ACS. The ACS data is used by researchers to examine societal changes, study data quality, and conduct methodological research. American Community Survey data provides important information that cannot be found elsewhere. The federal government, as well as various businesses, researchers, and local governments use ACS data for planning and decision-making purposes. ACS data are used by public and business decision-makers to more clearly identify issues and opportunities and more effectively allocate scarce resources to address them. In Fiscal Year 2008, 184 federal domestic assistance programs used ACS-related datasets to help guide
3835-1015: The survey. Like the decennial census, ACS responses are confidential . Every employee at the Census Bureau takes an oath of nondisclosure and is sworn for life to not disclose identifying information. Violations of the nondisclosure oath are punishable by prison sentences of up to five years and/or a $ 250,000 fine. Under 13 U.S.C. § 9 , census responses are "immune from legal process" and may not "be admitted as evidence or used for any purpose in any action, suit, or other judicial or administrative proceeding". The Census Bureau aggregates individual ACS responses, also known as microdata , into estimates at many geographic summary levels . Among these summary levels are legal and administrative entities such as states , counties , cities , and congressional districts , as well as statistical entities such as metropolitan statistical areas , tracts , block groups , and census designated places . Estimates for census blocks are not available from ACS. Puerto Rico
3900-552: Was denied for decades but was finally proven in 2007. United States census data are valuable for the country's political parties; Democrats and Republicans are highly interested in knowing the accurate number of persons in their respective districts. These insights are often linked to financial and economic strategies that are central to federal, state and city investments for locations of particular populations. Such apportionments are designed to distribute political power across neutral spatial allocations; however, "because so much
3965-427: Was discontinued in 2015 due to budget cuts. The last 3-year release was the 2011–2013 ACS 3-year estimates. Current data releases include: Over the past decade, the American Community Survey has collected and supplied all data at local levels. This was a large breakthrough in the survey because it allows American citizens more individualized data on a community level as opposed to extrapolating from data collected over
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#17327651996724030-511: Was intended to consolidate overlapping statistical agencies, but Census Bureau officials were hindered by their subordinate role in the department. An act in 1920 changed the date and authorized manufacturing censuses every two years and agriculture censuses every 10 years. In 1929, a bill was passed mandating the House of Representatives be reapportioned based on the results of the 1930 census . In 1954, various acts were codified into Title 13 of
4095-721: Was introduced after the 1850 census by statistician and later census superintendent J. D. B. De Bow . He published a compendium where the states and territories were grouped into five "great division", namely the Middle, New England, the Northwestern, the Southern, and the Southwestern great divisions. Unsatisfied with this system, De Bow devised another one four years later, with states and territories grouped into an Eastern, Interior, and Western "great section", each divided into
4160-414: Was manufactured by Harris Corporation , an established Department of Defense contractor, via a controversial contract with the Department of Commerce . Secured access via a fingerprint swipe guaranteed only the verified user could access the unit. A GPS capacity was integral to the daily address management and the transfer of gathered information. Of major importance was the security and integrity of
4225-478: Was the first census since 1880 in which Chicago was not the second-largest city, having been overtaken by Los Angeles . As of the 2020 census , Los Angeles has remained the nation's second-largest city. The results of the 1990 census determined the number of seats that each state receives in the United States House of Representatives starting with the 1992 elections . Consequently, this affected
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