Open Census MCP Server

United States Census Bureau | An official website of the United States Government Understanding and Using American Community Survey Data: What All Data Users Need to Know September 2020 Have you ever thought about how, or why, new roads, schools, after-school programs, or hospitals are placed in communities? What makes communities attractive to new businesses or tourists? Why there is no ATM or bike-share kiosk on a street corner? The answers often lie in the numbers—numbers that reflect what our communities look like, how our communities have changed, and how those changes impact our daily lives. The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) is designed to answer these types of questions and to 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. [/conte nt/da m/Cen sus/lib rary/pu blicatio ns/202 0/acs/ acs_ge neral_h andbo ok_202 0.pdf] Underst anding and Using America n Commu nity Survey Data: What All Data Users Need to Know [7.8 MB] American Communi ty Survey 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. It also includes some recent case studies that show how ACS data are being used to help address important policy and program issues. Links to additional ACS resources, including technical documentation for more advanced users, are included throughout the handbook. Download by Section 1. Understanding the ACS: The Basics [<1.0 MB] American Community Survey 2. Geographic Areas Covered in the ACS [1.2 MB] American Community Survey [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020_ch01.pdf ] [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020_ch02.pd f] 3. Understanding and Using ACS Single-Year and Multiyear Estimates [<1.0 MB] [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handboo k_2020_ch03.pdf] American Community Survey 4. Making Comparisons with ACS Data [<1.0 MB] American Community Survey [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020_ch04.pd f] 5. Accessing ACS Data [<1.0 MB] [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020_ch05.pdf] American Community Survey 6. Case Studies Using ACS Data [4.9 MB] [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020_ch06.pdf] American Community Survey 7. Understanding Error and Determining Statistical Significance [<1.0 MB] American Community Survey [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_ 2020_ch07.pdf] 8. Calculating Measures of Error for Derived Estimates [<1.0 MB] [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020 _ch08.pdf] American Community Survey 9. Differences Between the ACS and the Decennial Census [<1.0 MB] [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_20 20_ch09.pdf] American Community Survey 10. Using Dollar-Denominated Data [<1.0 MB] [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020_ch10.pdf] American Community Survey 11. Measures of Nonsampling Error [<1.0 MB] [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020_ch11.pdf] American Community Survey 12. Glossary [<1.0 MB] [/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020_ch12.pdf] American Community Survey Others in Series Publication What the Business Community Needs to Know October 2020 This handbook helps business data users learn how to access and use ACS data and provide concrete examples of how ACS data can answer real-world questions. [/programs-surveys/acs/guidance/handbooks/business.html] Publication What ACS Summary File Data Users Need to Know October 2023 This guide provides an overview of the ACS Summary File and how it can be used to access data on America’s communities. [/programs-surveys/acs/library/handbooks/summary-file.html] Publication What ACS Summary File Data Users Need to Know September 2021 This guide provides an overview of the ACS Summary File and how it can be used to access data on America’s communities. [/programs-surveys/acs/guidance/handbooks/summary-file.html] VIEW ALL [/PROGRAMS-SURVEYS/ACS/LIBRARY/HANDBOOKS.HTML] Related Information VIDEO Population Reference Bureau: The American Community Survey [/library/video/2019/prb-acs.html] VIDEO Population Reference Bureau: Assessing ACS Reliability [/library/video/2019/prb-acs-reliability.html] American Community Survey Resources for General Users [/programs-surveys/acs/information-for/general.html] Page Last Revised - May 1, 2025