Frequently Asked Questions

• The Census Bureau offers an Address Search tool in the American FactFinder that allows users to enter an address and then view each level of Census geography, including tract, in which the address is located.  The American FactFinder uses the 2010 address ranges in the Census Bureau’s MAF/TIGER database to geocode addresses.
• The Census Geocoder is another option that allows users to enter an address and then view the census tract in which the address is located. This tool allows users to choose the vintage of address ranges from the MAF/TIGER database to use in geocoding, including 2010 and current. In addition to single address geocoding, the Census Geocoder enables users to do batch geocoding by uploading a text file with up to 1,000 addresses.
• If you are unable to locate your address using the American FactFinder tool or the Census Geocoder, another option is the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s (FFIEC) tool, which uses a commercial database to geocode.
• Geocoding tools are only as good as the data that they use.  While the Census Bureau works continuously to update our street and address range data, it is possible that you will find errors or missing information.  The most definitive way to determine the Census tract for a street address is to view the location on a Census tract map.  Census tracts can be viewed interactively using our TIGERweb online mapping application.  We also offer tract reference maps in PDF format for download on our website.

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Our telephone representatives attempt to call households to collect important survey information. If someone has contacted you about the American Community Survey and you would like to verify that the phone call you received was legitimate, you may call one of our call centers directly:

• Hagerstown, MD: 1-800-392-6975
• Jeffersonville, IN: 1-800-523-3205
• Tucson, AZ: 1-800-642-0469

In order to collect the required American Community Survey (ACS) data, we use a multi-part strategy, including Internet, mail, telephone calls, and personal visits.

• First, we send a letter to let you know your address has been selected for the ACS.
• Then most respondents receive instructions to complete the ACS online. If the survey is not completed, we send you a replacement questionnaire in about two weeks.
• If we still do not receive a completed survey, we may attempt to call you from one of our call centers. You may also receive a telephone call if you completed the survey, but clarification is needed on the information you provided.
• If we cannot reach you by phone, we may send a Census interviewer to your address to complete the interview in person.

Telephone interviewers may attempt to call you after normal business hours when it is more likely you will be at home. 

Keywords: scam, bogus

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Dynamically generated tables, maps, and files from American FactFinder:
(Use semicolons to separate elements)

1. U.S. Census Bureau;
2. Name of the database or other data repository/source (e.g., American FactFinder), set off by quotation marks, or follow publication citation style;
3. The name of the person who generates the tabulation, etc., e.g., "generated by John Smith;"
4. The name of the software package used to generate the tabulation, if known, e.g., "using American FactFinder;"
5. The URL of the application software's main or first page set off by angle brackets, e.g., <http://factfinder2.census.gov>;
6. The date, within parenthesis, when the user generated the tabulation, e.g., (7 January 2012).

For a reference map in American FactFinder:

• U.S. Census Bureau; generated by Jane Smith; using American FactFinder; <http://factfinder2.census.gov>; (12 February 2012).

For a thematic map in American FactFinder
(Find the specific survey or census, data set and matrix number under the map image):

• U.S. Census Bureau; Census 2000, Summary File 1, Matrix P7; generated by Joe Smith; using American FactFinder; <http://factfinder2.census.gov>; (15 February 2012).

Examples:

• U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table GCT0101; generated by John Smith; using American FactFinder; <http://factfinder2.census.gov>; (7 January 2012).
• U.S. Census Bureau; Census 2000, Summary File 1, Table P001; generated by Jane Jones; using American FactFinder; <http://factfinder2.census.gov>; (20 February 2012)
• U.S. Census Bureau; 2010 Census Summary File 1; Tables P1 and QT-P1; generated by John Smith; using American FactFinder; <http://factfinder2.census.gov>; (12 December 2011).

Other Sources for Citation Styles:

• Library of Congress
• Internet Public Library

Keywords: reference, citation, credit, source,

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The Census Bureau conducted censuses of religious bodies at 10-year intervals from 1906 through 1936. The results were published with statistics on topics such as the number of members in congregations, number of church edifices, seating capacity, value and debt on church property, and so forth. The census publications varied with the first two having volumes of reports and the 1926 and 1936 censuses releasing a Summary report and a second volume made up of individual reports on the denominations listed in the census. See our detailed listing of reports from past censuses (1790 on).

There also was a survey of religious affiliation done as part of the Current Population Survey in 1957 with the results published in a report entitled, "Religion Report by the Civilian Population of the United States, March 1957." The Census of Religious Bodies began as a few questions on the Social Statistics form of the 1850 census. When the Bureau became permanent in 1902, it became possible to separate some data collection from the decennial census. The Census of Religious Bodies was a stand-alone census taken every  10 years between 1906 and 1936. Data were collected in 1946 but the funding for tabulation was not forthcoming. The entire census was eliminated in the mid 1950's. Copies of the report are in the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (http://www.nara.gov).

The U.S. Census Bureau does not collect data on religious affiliation in its demographic surveys or decennial census. Public Law 94-521 prohibits us from asking a question on religious affiliation on a mandatory basis; in some person or household surveys, however, the U.S. Census Bureau may collect information about religious practices, on a voluntary basis. Therefore, the U.S. Census Bureau is not the source for information on religion, nor is the Census Bureau the source for information on religious affiliation. Some statistics on religion can be found in the Statistical Abstract of the United States, Section 1, Population.  In addition, we do provide a list of contacts for further assistance regarding religious information.

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You can get population and housing data for Zip Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) from a variety of Census Bureau sources.

• 2010 Census: Provides ZCTA-level information on a limited range of demographic variables such as race, sex, age, housing tenure (that is, rent or own), and ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino origin). 
  
  
• American Community Survey (ACS): Produces a wide range of estimates on topics such as; income, poverty, educational attainment, disability, marital status, and much more. ACS plans to release ZCTA level estimates for the first time in late 2012 based on the 2007-2011 ACS 5-year estimates.  
  
  
• 2000 Census. Provides statistics with detailed characteristics at the ZCTA-level including; race, age, sex, tenure, income, educational attainment, disability, marital status, etc. 
  
  
• 1990 Census: You can download ZCTA data from the FTP site (Summary Tape File 3B), or order a CD-ROM containing the data. (Not available through American FactFinder.)

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If someone has contacted you about the American Community Survey and you would like to verify that the visit or phone call you received was legitimate, you may call your Census Regional office. You can find contact information for your Census Regional office at http://www.census.gov/regions/.

In order to collect the required American Community Survey (ACS) data, we use a multi-part strategy, including Internet, mail, telephone calls, and personal visits.

• First, we send a letter to let you know your address has been selected for the ACS.
• Then most respondents receive instructions to complete the ACS online. If the survey is not completed, we send you a replacement questionnaire in about two weeks.
• If we still do not receive a completed survey, we may attempt to call you from one of our call centers. You may also receive a telephone call if you completed the survey, but clarification is needed on the information you provided.
• If we cannot reach you by phone, we may send a Census interviewer to your address to complete the interview in person.

Interviewers may visit you or attempt to call you after normal business hours when it is more likely you will be at home.

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EAR99 is a classification for an item. It indicates that a particular item is subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), but not listed with a specific Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) on the Commerce Control List (CCL). While the classification describes the item, the authorization for shipment of that item may change, depending on the transaction. NLR is the designator of a transaction that stands for the "No License Required" authorization. NLR may be used for either EAR99 items, or items on the CCL that do not require a license for the destination in question, provided no General Prohibitions apply. (Part 736 of the EAR)

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In most instances, yes. If you received a letter or postcard inviting you to complete the American Community Survey online, you will need to visit https://respond.census.gov/acs and enter your ten digit user ID from the letter or informational card you received in the mail.

If you did not receive a mailing inviting you to respond online, this option is not yet available for your area.

Keywords: Internet

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In addition to our Selected Historical Decennial Census Population and Housing Counts, 1790 to 1990, for all geographic areas in the United States, there are three major sources of historical decennial census data:

• Historical Census Reports - Contains scanned copies of all decennial census printed reports from 1790 to 2000 in PDF   or ZIP format.  Any data missing from these files may be requested by contacting the Main Census Bureau Library on 301-763-2511.
• Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses from 1790 to 2000  - This report includes the census questionnaire and instructions for each census and individual census histories are also provided.
• Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970 - This section provides data from the Statistical Abstracts from 1900 to 2010, the Bicentennial Edition, Part 1  and Part 2  , and Historical Statistics for the U.S.from 1789 to 1945

In addition to the above, the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) (http://www.fdlp.gov/)  provides local access for census data users.  Libraries designated as FDLPs maintain census publications and products as part of their existing collection and are responsible for assuring that the public has free access to these materials.  Each Congressional District has at least one FDLP.  Libraries identified as Regional Depository Libraries (one per state) have extensive collections of census publications and electronic products.  Other FDLPs often have a more limited selection.

[PDF] or denotes a file in Adobe's Portable Document Format. To view the file, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader available free from Adobe.

This page contains one or more links, denoted by this symbol , which are not part of the Census Bureau Web site and do not imply endorsement of any particular product, company, or content.

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The United States International Trade Commission allows you to search  the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated (HTSUSA) for import commodity codes.

Because import and export commodity codes match at the six-digit level, you may also use our Schedule B Search  to find the first six digits of your import number.

Once you have obtained the six-digit subheading, you can look up the full, ten-digit import code in the HTSUSA.

For help with import classification, you must contact your local Customs office.

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In March 2012, the Census Bureau released the list of Urban Areas and their boundaries, based on the data from the 2010 Census.  The Census Bureau is still working on tabulating the data for the Urban Areas.  The data will be released through the American FactFinder (AFF) in the fall of 2012.  At that time, you will be able to use the AFF to determine if your geographic area of interest is urban or rural. 

Until the urban/rural data is released in AFF, the urban area relationship files or the attribute file associated with the Topological Faces shapefile can be used to determine if your area of interest is urban or rural.  

It is important to note that the U.S. Census Bureau defines urban and rural at the block level. Therefore, geographic entities, including cities, towns and census tracts, may be urban (located wholly within an urban area), rural (located entirely outside an urban area), or contain both urban and rural territory (only the densely settled portion of the city is within an urban area).

Determining urban or rural for counties, cities, towns, metropolitan areas, and ZIP Code™ tabulation areas

Relationship files are available for places, counties, county subdivisions, metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, and NECTAs. Each relationship file has at least one record for every entity the Census Bureau recognizes.  For example, to determine if your city is urban or rural, use the Place relationship file.  First, search for your city name in the PLNAME column to determine the corresponding urban area from the UANAME column. If your city is not in an urban area, 'Not in a 2010 urban area' will be displayed in the UANAME column. If your city name has more than one record, portions of the city may be in more than one urban area or portions of the city may fall outside of the 2010 urban area boundaries.

Determining urban or rural for census tracts and other geographic areas without relationship files

For geographic areas that do not have relationships files, such as census tracts, school districts and voting districts, the attribute file associated with the Topological Faces shapefile can be used to determine if your area of interest is urban or rural.   

Download and Open the Topological Faces DBF File

1.    Go to the download page for the 2010 TIGER/Line Shapefiles.
2.    In the drop-down menu, select Relationship Files and click Submit.
3.    Under Topological Faces (Polygons with all Geocodes) Shapefile, select your state, and click Submit.
4.    Select your county and then click Download.
5.    A zipped file containing five separate files will download.  Extract the DBF file and save it to your computer.
6.    Open your spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel.
7.    Select File/Open. Under File Type, select All Files. Select and open your DBF file.

Using the Topological Faces DBF file to determine Urban or Rural

1.    In the spreadsheet, select the column for the type of entity you are looking for, for instance, select the column for TRACTCE10, if looking for a 2010 census tract. (TRACTCE00 is the 2000 census tract number.)
2.    Sort this column from A to Z, making sure to �?expand your sort,’ so that each tract number is grouped together.
3.    Find the tract number you are interested in and highlight all of the rows with that number.
4.    Scroll to the right and look at the column titled UACE10.  This is the Urban Area Code.  If the field is blank, it means that the face is not in an Urban Area and is therefore �?rural.’  If the field contains a code, then it means that the face is in an Urbanized Area or Urban Cluster and is therefore �?urban.’  If the UACE10 field is populated for all of the rows with your tract number, then the tract is �?urban.’  If it is blank for all of the rows, then the tract is �?rural.’  If only some of the rows are populated, then the tract is �?mixed.’  If you see different codes in the UACE10 column, that means that the tract falls into more than one Urban Area.

A list of all of UACE codes and their corresponding names can be found on the 2010 Census Urban and Rural Classification webpage. 

Reference Maps

The 2010 Urban Areas can also be viewed using Reference maps and the TIGERweb interactive web mapping system.  Finally, if you have access to GIS software, you can also use the TIGER/Line®shapefiles to map the urban areas.

For more information about Urban Areas, please see our 2010 Census Urban and Rural Classification and Urban Area Criteria page.

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Because estimates are based on a sample rather than the entire population, the published estimates may differ from the actual, but unknown, population values. In principle, many random samples could be drawn and each would give a different result. This is because each sample would be made up of different businesses who would give different answers to the questions asked. The spread of these results is the sampling variability.

Common measures of the variability among these estimates are the sampling variance, the standard error, and the coefficient of variation (CV). The sampling variance is defined as the squared difference, averaged over all possible samples of the same size and design, between the estimator and its average value. The standard error is the square root of the sampling variance. The CV expresses the standard error as a percentage of the estimate to which it refers. For example, an estimate of 200 units that has an estimated standard error of 10 units has an estimated CV of 5 percent. The CV has the advantage of being a relative, rather than an absolute, measure and can be used to compare the reliability of one estimate to another.

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The Census Bureau provides first and surname data that may be of interest to people seeking genealogy, family name, or given name information from the following decennial censuses:  

• Frequently Occurring Surnames From Census 2000,
• Frequently Occurring First Names and Surnames From the 1990 Census, and 
• Spanish surname list from the 1990 Census.

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An easy way to view Census tract or block boundaries is to use our interactive web mapping application, TIGERweb.  The following instructions provide an example of how to view census tract boundaries in the city of San Francisco.

1. Open the TIGERweb Viewer.
2. From the �?Map Layers’ window, select the box next to �?Census Tracts and Blocks'.   Expand this category by clicking on the arrow and then uncheck 'Census Block Groups' and 'Census Blocks'. 
3. Also, select the box next to �?Places and County Subdivisions.’
4. Click on the 'Query' tool, which looks like a globe and binoculars and is located in the upper right hand portion of the screen. 
5. From the �?Select Map' dropdown, select �?Places and County Subdivisions’. 
6. Within the 'Select Layer' box, select 'Incorporated Places'. 
7. In the 'Name' field, type 'San Francisco' and click 'Submit Query'.
8. The map will zoom to 'San Francisco, CA' and the incorporated place boundary will appear as a highlighted red line.  
9. Using the ’Zoom’ and ’Pan’ tools, position the map to view the census tract boundaries.

In addition to TIGERweb, we also offer tract and block maps in PDF format.

Census Tract Reference Maps illustrate census tract boundaries within counties.  They also include boundaries for political areas such as cities. They show streets and other physical features, but do not show smaller area entities such as block groups or blocks.  Tract Reference Maps are available on a county-by-county basis.

Block maps are the most detailed maps, showing all geographic areas down to the level of census blocks. Block maps for 2010 are available by American Indian Area, consolidated city, county, county subdivsion, place, subbarrio, and estate. If you are not working with block groups or blocks, you will find it easier to work with the simpler, less detailed tract maps.

Both Census Tract Reference Maps and Census Block Maps are available for download on the Census Bureau's Reference Maps Web site. Under “Census Reference Maps,” click on the year next to “Census Tract Maps” or “Census Block Maps” to access the maps in PDF format. You can purchase these map sets in print from the Customer Services Center at 1-800-923-8282 or (301)763-INFO (4636).

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• Select Advanced Search.
• Click the Geographies button located below Topics (left side of page).
• On the top of the window select the Name tab.
• In the text box, type "All Census Tracts within___" (Fill the blank with the name of a County Subdivision or a Place for the blank.) Click "Go".
• If your town is a County Subdivision, select the geography labeled "All Census Tracts (or parts) within City, County, State" from the Geography Results. If your town is a place select the geography labeled "All Census Tracts (or parts) full-or-partially within City, State" from the Geography Results.
• Close the Geographies Search window.
• Use the Topics on the left side of the page to further refine your search or to select a table(s) from your Search Results.
  

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Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) are non-overlapping areas that partition each state into areas containing about 100,000 residents. PUMAs were developed to be the most detailed geographic area available in the Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS). Because the State Data Centers (SDCs) and their partner organizations help define these areas for the Census Bureau, they should be meaningful to many data users.

PUMA boundaries are updated with each decennial census in cooperation with the SDCs. For more information, visit the Public Use Microdata Areas page. American Community Survey PUMS files will begin to use the new 2010 PUMA boundaries for PUMS data released in 2013.

PUMA Mapping Resources

• Detailed maps of state PUMA boundaries are available on the Reference Maps page.
• Information on the geographic concepts (i.e. counties, county subdivisions, places, and census tracts) located within each PUMA is available on our FTP site. First, select your state of interest, then pick the text file PUMEQ5-XX.TXT, where XX is your state's 2 letter abbreviation. For example, if you select Michigan as your state of interest, the corresponding text file is PUMEQ5-MI.TXT

PUMAs were first made available in the 2005 ACS 1-year PUMS files and have been included in every PUMS release since then. ACS PUMS files from 2000-2004 did not include the PUMA variable.

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The United States Constitution states that "[An] Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct." Pursuant to this constitutional directive, Congress passed separate laws for each decennial census and specified the information to be collected. In 1954, Congress codified earlier census acts and all other statutes authorizing the decennial census as Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.). From the very first census act, Congress sought the collection of more information than just a headcount. 

Because the American Community Survey (ACS) is part of the Decennial Census Program, it is governed by the same laws as the census. The current legal authority for collecting these data resides in Title 13 of the U.S.C. or the “Census Act.” The Census Act provides the Census Bureau with legal authority to conduct the decennial census and delegates broad discretionary authority to the Secretary of Commerce for determining the manner of conducting the census. This authority has been redelegated by the Secretary to the Director of the Census Bureau.

Even though Congress has granted this broad discretionary authority, the questions asked in the Census and ACS are determined by what data are needed to implement a vast array of federal programs. Courts routinely have upheld the constitutionality of collecting census data, characterizing as unquestionable the power of Congress to require both an enumeration and the collection of statistics in the census.

The Courts have held that the Constitution, including the Fifth and Fourth Amendments, does not prohibit the gathering of other statistics in addition to the enumeration.

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From the Main Page (factfinder2.census.gov):

• Enter the name of your state, county, city, town, or zip code in the text box located under Community Facts.
• Click Go.
• The population for your area will be displayed.
• To find other popular facts about your area select one of the blue boxes located on the left.

Note: If the city, town or county displayed is not the one you are looking for you can either modify your entry (i.e. instead of Atlanta; type Atlanta, GA) or click the link “We found more results for your geography search” located under the geography name.

Additional tools are available such as Population Finder and Quick Facts on http://www.census.gov.

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American FactFinder does not support older browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla Firefox 3.6. American FactFinder does not support compatibility view in Microsoft

American FactFinder supports common browsers. It was thoroughly tested up to the following versions: Microsoft Internet Explorer 11, Google Chrome 41, Mozilla Firefox 36, Apple Safari 5.1.

We recommend you upgrade to a newer browser. If you are using a newer browser, make sure you do not view American FactFinder in Compatibility View. Remove census.gov from Compatibility view in your browser settings.

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Our secure server uses a digital certificate (digital ID) issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) as proof of identity. The only way to be sure of a web site's authenticity is to view their digital ID.

The digital ID will contain information such as:

• The name of the organization that owns the web site (for example, "U.S. Census Bureau")
• The site's registered Internet name/address (for example, "respond.census.gov")
• The name of the Certification Authority under which the digital ID was issued (for example, "VeriSign Trust Network")

The method for viewing a web site's Digital Certificate/ID varies depending on the web browser. Please see your browser's "help" information for instructions on how to verify a web site's identity.

Keywords: security, online, safe, legitimate

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Group Quarters (GQ) are places where people live or stay, in a group living arrangement, which is owned or managed by an entity or organization providing housing and/or services for the residents. This is not a typical household-type living arrangement. These services  may  include custodial or medical care as well as other types of assistance, and residency is commonly restricted to those receiving these services. People living in group quarters are usually not related to each other.

Group quarters include such places as college residence halls, residential treatment centers, skilled nursing facilities, group homes, military barracks, correctional facilities, and workers’ dormitories.

Group quarters are categorized into two groups, institutional and non-institutional, in the American Community Survey (ACS) estimates.

Institutional Group Quarters: Includes facilities for people under formally authorized, supervised care or custody at the time of interview, such as correctional facilities, nursing facilities/skilled nursing facilities, in-patient hospice facilities, mental (psychiatric) hospitals, group homes for juveniles, and residential treatment centers for juveniles.

Non-institutional Group Quarters: Includes facilities that are not classified as institutional group quarters, such as college/university housing, group homes intended for adult, residential  treatment facilities for adults, workers’ group living quarters and Job Corps centers, and religious group quarters.

The ACS sample included the group quarters population beginning in 2006. Before that, the ACS only sampled the population living in households.

Please visit the Code Lists, Definitions, and Accuracy page on the ACS website to learn more about group quarters. People living in group housing can also learn more about the group quarters form on the ACS website.

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When you access the American Community Survey online, you will be given a four-digit PIN.  The PIN is unique to your survey answers. It is needed to re-enter the survey after you logout, or if your session times out. Please remember it.

The Census Bureau cannot remind you of your PIN if you forget it. If you cannot remember your PIN, you may call 1-800-354-7271 to have the survey reset. However, once a survey is reset, you must start again at the beginning.

Keywords: Internet, personal identification number

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The American Community Survey (ACS) asks for individuals' names for two reasons.  First, we have found over many years of research that it is easier for a respondent to keep track of which person they are answering for if the names are used.  If you are interrupted while completing the survey, it will be easier to resume if you know which person you were working on - particularly in larger households.

The second reason is administrative.  In some instances, responses are difficult to interpret, or missing critical information. If we have the name and phone number of the person who completed the survey, we can call to collect missing information or ask for clarification.  By having the other names, we can more easily refer to specific information.

Without the name and phone number, we would have to send someone to an address to gather the information - which is more expensive than a phone call. 

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We ask these questions because federal and state government require the data that we collect to manage or evaluate programs.  For example, information about utilities is used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to administer their programs.  Journey-to-work information, such as what time you leave your home, is used by federal and state government transportation planning agencies for roads and public transit development. 

Read more about the purposes of each question at: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/about/why-we-ask-each-question/.

Please note that the topics on the American Community Survey (ACS) are nearly identical to those topics asked in the 2000 Census long form questionnaire.   

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These are terms used in our economic census and survey activities. 

• Establishment:  A business or industrial unit at a single location that distributes goods or performs services.

  • It is not necessarily identical with a company or enterprise, which may consist of one or more establishments.

  • When two or more activities are carried on at a single location under a single ownership, all activities generally are grouped together as a single establishment. The entire establishment is classified on the basis of its major activity and all data are included in that classification.

• Firm:  A business organization or entity consisting of one domestic establishment (location) or more under common ownership or control. All establishments of subsidiary firms are included as part of the owning or controlling firm.

• Company:  For the economic census and other economic programs, the terms "firm" and "company" are synonymous.

Check the American FactFinder for a general glossary of census terms (on the top banner).

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On the American Community Survey (ACS), if no one in your household knows the answer to a question, and the information cannot be referenced in a bill or other document, please give your best estimate.

Thank you for the time that you spend completing the survey; we greatly appreciate your taking the time to provide accurate and complete data for your household.

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Addresses selected for the American Community Survey (ACS) come from the Census Bureau’s Master Address File (MAF). The MAF is the Census Bureau’s official inventory of known living quarters and selected nonresidential units in the United States and Puerto Rico.  Each scientifically selected address represents other households in the surrounding community.

Interviewing a small sample of addresses, 3.5 million, rather than all addresses in the United States, allows the Census Bureau  to measure the whole population while limiting the cost of the survey and reducing the overall impact on respondents.

For more detailed information, please visit Chapter 4 of the Design and Methodology Report.

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The U.S. Census Bureau does not collect data on beverage consumption; however, information on the topic can be found in the Census Bureau's annual data book, the Statistical Abstract of the United States.  Select the edition (year) of your choice, go to the "Health and Nutrition" section, and then browse the tables.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) (http://www.ers.usda.gov/) produces these data. In addition, you can find information on alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage consumption by looking at USDA's Food and Nutrient Intake Reports and Food Consumption Data System.

If your interest is in the beverage industry, we do collect and tabulate data from our Economic Census and our County Business Patterns program.  A sampling of the related North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes includes:

• 312 Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing
• 445 Food and Beverage Stores
• 4248 Beer, Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers

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We understand concerns about identity theft and privacy. We will ensure that only authorized persons with a work-related need-to-know view your personal information. When we process the information collected by the American Community Survey (ACS), individuals’ names and other personal identifiers are deleted from the files used to tabulate these data. We do not maintain a national database with the names, addresses, and personal information collected by the ACS.

Additionally, we employ statistical methodologies to ensure that the statistics we release do not identify individuals or businesses. These methods include extensive review and analysis of all our data products, as well as disclosure avoidance methodologies (such as data suppression and modification) to screen out data that might identify a specific individual or business.

Please note that the ACS does not ask for Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden name, or specific information regarding bank accounts or credit cards—the information typically used for identity theft.

If you are reluctant to complete the survey online or by mail, you may call 1-800-354-7271 to complete the survey over the phone.

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The Census Bureau’s Gazetteer Files provide the internal points of various types of Census geography. They also include the land and water area; the population and housing unit counts; and the latitude and longitude for each geographic area.  For 2010, the gazetteer files are available for census tracts, counties, county subdivisions, places, congressional districts, state legislative districts, school districts, various American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian areas, urban areas, ZIP Code tabulation areas, and public use microdata areas.  Select gazetteer files are also available for 2000 and 1990 geographies.

Questions and concerns should be directed to the Geographic Products Branch at geo.tiger@census.gov or call (301) 763-1128.

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Population data from the decennial census provide the basis for both apportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the states and for Congressional and Legislative redistricting.

Apportionment is the process of determining the number of representatives to which each state is entitled in the U. S. House of Representatives based on the decennial census. Article 1, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution established that the apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives shall be based upon a national census. The Census Bureau must submit the apportionment results to the President by December 31 of the census year.

Redistricting is the redrawing of boundaries for areas from which people elect representatives to the U. S. House of Representatives, a state legislature, a county or city council, a school board, and so forth. Public Law 94-171 requires that the redistricting data must be delivered to state officials responsible for legislative redistricting within one year of Census day or no later than April 1, 2011.

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The Census Bureau does not produce a cost of living index.  In fact, we do not know of a national cost of living index.  Here are some possible alternatives that some use:

• Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in the cost of goods and services. It does not measure the differences in the cost of living. The CPI for the nation is released monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

• ACCRA, a nonprofit organization, maintains a composite index on the cost of living in various cities and metropolitan areas (http://www.c2er.org/)  in which the U.S. average would be equal to 100. An index value of 115 would indicate that cost of living in that particular area would be 15 percent higher than the average.

This page contains one or more links, denoted by this symbol , which are not part of the Census Bureau Web site and do not imply endorsement of any particular product, company, or content.

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U.S. federal government agencies must adhere to standards issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in October 1997, which specify that  race  and Hispanic origin (also known as ethnicity) are two separate and distinct concepts.  These standards generally reflect a social definition of race and ethnicity recognized in this country and they do not conform to any biological, anthropological, or genetic criteria.  The standards include five minimum categories for data on race:  "American Indian or Alaska Native," "Asian," "Black or African American," "Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander," and "White."  There are two minimum categories for data on ethnicity:  "Hispanic or Latino" and "Not Hispanic or Latino."  The concept of race reflects self-identification by people according to the race or races with which they most closely identify.  Persons who report themselves as Hispanic can be of any race and are identified as such in our data tables. The following sources provide data on race and Hispanic origin population:

• Population estimates by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin are produced annually for the U.S., states, and counties. Historical data are also provided in the Archive Files.  Population projections out to 2050 are provided by race and Hispanic origin for the nation.
• The Current Population Survey (CPS) provides national level data on the social, economic, and demographic characteristics of selected race groups, both current and past.  Tables on the Hispanic population in the U.S are also available, both current and past.
• The American Community Survey (ACS) provides sample data from the 1-year or 3-year estimates based on population size.  Selected Population Profiles (select from the right side) enable you to select characteristics by Race or Ethnic Groups (Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, etc.)and by Country of Birth.
• Census 2000 and 1990 census data on race are also available as well as the Hispanic population.  In addition, data can be accessed for Census 2000 using American FactFinder and Summary File 2 and Summary File 4.
• Census 2000 brief   "Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin" describes these concepts and also provides how the race categories used in Census 2000 were defined on page 2.

[PDF] or denotes a file in Adobe's Portable Document Format. To view the file, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader available free from Adobe.

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Our statistical compendia volumes (see below) do contain some copyrighted material.  In the event you wish to publish these data or tables, you should contact the cited company or agency for permission.  Go to the bottom of the table to see if "copyright" is included in the footnote.  Our statistical compendia publications include:

• Statistical Abstract of the United States 
• County and City Data Book  
• State and Metropolitan Area Data Book 
• USA Counties
  

Keywords: citation, reference,

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The Census Bureau releases TIGER/Line shapefiles and metadata each year to the public. 
TIGER/Line shapefiles are spatial extracts from the Census Bureau’s MAF/TIGER database.  They contain features such as roads, railroads, hydrographic features and legal and statistical boundaries. 

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) mandated that metadata be created for all new geospatial data; therefore, the Census Bureau created the first set of detailed metadata and included it with the first release of the TIGER/Line shapefiles in 2007.  Each shapefile contains a metadata file in .xml format.  Metadata is information about the data and is a very useful tool because it allows users to determine if a shapefile will meet their needs.  For example, metadata includes information such as publication date, official title, a file description or abstract and contact information.  Each road and hydrography file includes the horizontal positional accuracy values for each source used to update the file.  In addition, the entity and attribute section of the metadata includes detailed information about the files attributes.  This includes MAF/TIGER Feature Class Codes (MTFCCs) and legal and statistical area description codes (LSADs).  The MTFCC codes classify and define each feature.  For example, a user could determine if a place is incorporated (legal) or a census designated place (statistical) from the MTFCC value.  The LSAD value further classifies each feature and provides more details about the legal or statistical nature of the feature.  Again, if we use place as the example, a user could determine if it is classified as a city, town, village or borough.

The metadata is conveniently packaged within the five files that make up each TIGER/Line shapefile and can be viewed either as a separate file in a web browser or as part of a mapping application.

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Yes, the U.S. Census Bureau produces data by single year of age:

• The U.S. Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program produces monthly population estimates by single year of age for the United States and annual population by single year of age for all states.
• The Census 2000 also has single years of age data for several levels of geography. (FAQ 225)

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Yes.  American Community Survey information is encrypted at all times. 

Our secure servers use "HTTPS" Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer, to ensure the encrypted transmission of data between your browser and the U.S. Census Bureau.  This means that instead of sending readable text over the Internet, both your browser and our server encode (scramble) all data using a security key. 

In addition to data being encrypted during transmission, all data are encrypted for protection when stored on the Census Bureau servers.

Keywords: encryption, security, internet, online

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