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  1. Dartmouth Libraries
  2. Research Guides
  3. Dartmouth Libraries Guides
  4. Census Data
  5. American Community Survey

Census Data

Every 10 years, the United States government is required to count all of its citizens. This is a guide to the Decenniel Census. The government not only tries to count all of us, but also gathers different types of data about all of us.
  • Introduction
  • The Basics
  • Decennial CensusToggle Dropdown
    • 2020 Census
    • 2010 Census
    • 2000 Census
  • American Community Survey
  • Questionnaires & more ...
  • CensusCD products
  • Census Data by ZIP Code
  • Historic Census Data
  • NHGIS
  • Online Census Data
  • TIGER Files
  • Mapping Census Data
  • PUMS
  • CPS
  • Estimates & Projections
  • International Data
  • Census Data & Genealogy
  • Understanding Census Geography
  • Census maps
  • ArcGIS for Excel
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • GIS Software & Manuals

Subject Librarian

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Lucinda M. Hall
Email Me
Contact:
Evans Map Room, Baker-Berry Library
Dartmouth College
25 N Main ST
Hanover, NH 03755
(603) 646-0962
Website Skype Contact: d1128r8@kiewit.dartmouth.edu
Social: LinkedIn Page LibraryThing Page
Subjects: Film and Media Studies, Geography, Polar Studies

ACS Data Users Group

Looking for others who use ACS data? Want to ask questions of the experts about ACS? Then this data users group may be the answer. You can join, become part of specific groups and attend relevant webinars. For more information, click on the link below.

  • American Community Survey Data Users Group
    • Link

About the American Community Survey

The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing survey that provides data every year -- giving communities the current information they need to plan investments and services. Information from the survey generates data that help determine how more than $400 billion in federal and state funds are distributed each year.

To help communities, state governments, and federal programs, they ask about:

  • age
  • sex
  • race
  • family and relationships
  • income and benefits
  • health insurance
  • education
  • veteran status
  • disabilities
  • where you work and how you get there
  • where you live and how much you pay for some essentials

     Interested in helping improve the American Community Survey? The Committee on National Statistics is hosting a 2 day workshop about ACS. The workshop will be held in Washington, D.C. on September 26-27, 2018 at the Keck Center. See their page for more information.

  • More about the Suvey
    • Link
    The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing survey that provides vital information on a yearly basis about our nation and its people. Information from the survey generates data that help determine how more than $675 billion in federal and state funds are distributed each year. ...
  • Census Bureau logo
    Technical Documentation for the American Community Survey
    • Link
    The American Community Survey provides various documentation to assist users with their data releases.
  • Census Bureau logo
    Understanding and Using American Community Survey Data: What All Data Users Need to Know (2018)
    • Link
    The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) is designed to answer the type of questions that meet the needs of policymakers, business leaders, planners, and others nationwide who need good data to make informed decisions. The ACS provides a detailed portrait of the social, economic, housing, and demographic characteristics of America’s communities. This handbook provides an overview of the ACS to help data users understand the basics of the survey, how the data can be used, how to judge the accuracy of ACS estimates, and how to access ACS data.
  • Using the Data
    • Link
    The American Community Survey (ACS) not only produces data about our nation's population every year, we also provide a variety of resources to help data users understand how to use and access this information. ...
  • Video Tutorials for ACS
    • Video
    • Open Access Icon
    A collection of videos to help you better understand the American Community Survey.

Finding ACS Data

  • Resource logoSocial Explorer
    • On Campus or VPN
    • Database
    Call Number: Electronic resource
    Their objective is to help you visually analyze and understand the demography of the U.S. through the use of interactive maps and data reports. You can map all types of demographic data including immigration.
  • Resource logoPolicyMap by The Reinvestment Fund
    • On Campus or VPN
    • Database
    Call Number: Electronic resource
    PolicyMap is a fully web-based online data and mapping application that gives you access to over 15,000 indicators related to demographics, housing, crime, mortgages, health, jobs and more.

Selected book(s)

  • Cover artThe who, what, and where of America: understanding the American Community Survey by Shana Hertz Hattis, ed.
    • Book
    Call Number: Baker-Berry HA 201.122 .W48 2023
    ISBN: 9781636710785
    Publication Date: 10th ed.
    The Who, What, and Where of America is designed to provide a sampling of key demographic information. It covers the United States, every state, each metropolitan statistical area, and all the counties and cities with a population of 20,000 or more. ...
  • Resource logoSelected handbooks by U. S. Census Bureau
    • Book
    • Open Access Icon
    • Link
    Call Number: Online resource
    Various handbooks for targeted audiences on how to use the data in the American Community Survey.

The Data & Maps from the Census Bureau

The Census Bureau now releases 1-year and 5-year data every year. The 3-year data set no longer exists.

  • Get ACS Data
    • Link
    The American Community Survey (ACS) releases new data every year through a variety of data products that you can access with different data tools. Learn more about these tools, as well as the different types of tables and profiles powered by ACS data. ...
  • Summary Files for ACS
    • Link
    The American Community Survey (ACS) Summary File is a set of comma-delimited text files that contain all of the Detailed Tables for the ACS data releases. The Summary File contains estimate, margin of error, and geography files for each release. ...
  • Census Bureau logo
    Reference Maps from the Census Bureau
    • Link
    Reference maps show geographic boundaries for an area along with identifying features such as streets and roads.

Congressional hearings about the ACS

These resources tell how the Census Bureau proposed replacing the Long Form of the Decenniel Census with the American Community Survey. Various Subcommittees on the Census held these hearings.

These documents may also be online.

  • The American community survey--a replacement for the census long form? by the United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Reform. Subcommittee on the Census.
    • Open Access Icon
    • E-Book
    Call Number: Electronic government document
    Today we are here to begin the process of eliminating the problematic census long form. ...
  • The American community survey: the challenges of eliminating the long form from the 2010 census by the United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Reform. Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations, and the Census
    • Open Access Icon
    • E-Book
    Call Number: Electronic government document
    The census is one of the oldest civic ceremonies of our Nation. ...
  • The Census Bureau's proposed American Community Survey (ACS) by the United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Reform. Subcommittee on the Census
    • Open Access Icon
    • E-Book
    Call Number: Electronic government document
    As we leave last year's census behind us, it is time to begin planning for our next decennial census in 2010. One of the means by which the Census Bureau has proposed to improve the 2010 census is by implementing the American Community Survey [ACS] as a replacement for the decennial census long form. ...
  • Halfway to the 2010 census by the Subcommittee on Federalism and the Census of the Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, first session, April 19, 2005.
    • Open Access Icon
    • E-Book
    Call Number: Electronic government document
    Today, we will examine the three main components that are key to the upcoming census: the America Community Survey [ACS]; the master address file [MAF], and the topologically integrated geographic encoding and referencing [TIGER], enhancement program; and the short-form-only census. ...
  • << Previous: 2000 Census
  • Next: Questionnaires & more ... >>
  • Last Updated: Feb 27, 2025 3:46 PM
  • URL: https://researchguides.dartmouth.edu/census
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Subjects: Multidisciplinary
Tags: ACS, American Community Survey, current_population_survey, estimates, international_data, projections, questionnaires, TIGER files

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