Finding ACS data

data.census.gov is the online source for American Community Survey and other data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Other specialized options for ACS data are also available.

About the ACS

• American Community Survey home page
• Data Release Info
• Subject Definitions, definitions of population and housing variables. Census Glossary.
• Geography
  • "The TIGERweb viewer allows users to view legal and statistical boundaries as well as transportation and hydrographic features."
• Questionnaire Archive and instructions

Documentation and training

• Technical documentation
• Design and Methodology
• Guidance for Data Users
  • Handbooks for Data Users
• Training Presentations

The degree of uncertainty for an estimate arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a margin of error. [...] The margin of error can be interpreted roughly as providing a 90 percent probability that the interval defined by the estimate minus the margin of error and the estimate plus the margin of error (the lower and upper confidence bounds) contains the true value." (Census Bureau)

• "Census Bureau [...] will not release its standard 1-year estimates from the 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) because of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on data collection. The Census Bureau will release experimental estimates developed from 2020 ACS 1-year data."
• Release schedules.
• See also U.S. Census Bureau. When to Use 1-year, 3-year, or 5-year Estimates

Sample size

Source: Downloaded and manipulated from Census Bureau, American FactFinder

Margin of error

When to use 1-year, 3-year, or 5-year estimates

Source: Census Bureau, When to use 1-year, 3-year, or 5-year estimates