Bureau of the Census June 5, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) collects detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data from about 3.5 million addresses in the United States and 36,000 in Puerto Rico each year. Annual data products are released in the form of 1-Year and 5- Year estimates with 5-Year estimates being produced for over 578,000 geographies by 87 different summary levels. Most summary levels and their corresponding geographies are then produced for approximately 1,000 detailed tables. As a cost-saving measure and to improve usability of the estimates, the Census Bureau is reviewing the data products released by the ACS for usefulness and necessity. Beginning with the 2010-2014 ACS 5-Year estimates, the Census Bureau plans to streamline the production and release of Summary Level 070 tables (state/county/county subdivision/place remainder (or part)) to 15 tables. This very small summary level was created to allow for the delineation of metropolitan, micropolitan, and related statistical areas by the Office of Budget and Management (OMB). The Census Bureau recommends only tabulating and releasing those 15 tables for Summary Level 070 that are necessary for the delineation of metropolitan, micropolitan, and related statistical areas (particularly for identification of New England City and Town Area principal cities), commuting analysis, and basic demographic and housing analysis.