American Community Survey: Evaluating Accuracy

Data Segments

Unlike the census, the ACS is not designed to provide total population counts.

Community Profile

The primary purpose of the ACS is to produce profiles of key population and housing characteristics for state and local communities.

Household Numbers

Between 2000 and 2004, the ACS sampled more than 700,000 households each year

Survey Subtleness

Research shows that survey question order, question wording and overall layout of a questionnaire can influence responses.

Interview Acumen

Unlike the volunteer status of the census, ACS interviewers are full-time, permanent employees who receive extensive training in survey techniques.