Introducing the American Community Survey

by Pam Baxter & Warren Brown

For those who follow activities in the federal statistical agencies (and who doesn’t!), you may have noticed some prominent headlines about the upcoming decennial Census in recent months:  

“Census Switch Worries Some,” (Washington Post, July 8, 2008) regarding the recent decision by the Census Bureau to replace use of handheld computers with pencil and paper collection instruments to follow up with non-respondent households.

“Census Damage Control,” (New York Times editorial June 23, 2008) on agency preparation and funding shortfalls provided by Congress.

“Out for the Count,” (Boston Globe, July 27, 2008) highlighted a Census Bureau decision to count legally married same-sex couples in Massachusetts as “unwed partners.”   

So this seems an appropriate time to highlight a statistical product from the Census Bureau that will come into its own in 2010—The American Community Survey.