Census Bureau March 6, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Census Bureau has released American Community Survey (ACS) data products in the form of 1-year estimates for 2005, 2006, and 2007, and 3-year estimates for the period of 2005-2007. Annual updates of these products are planned. Specifically, in 2009 and 2010, the Census Bureau will publish 1-year estimates for the 2008 ACS and the 2009 ACS, and 3-year estimates for the 2006-2008 ACS and 2007-2009 ACS, respectively. Beginning in late 2010, the Census Bureau plans to introduce 5-year data products covering the period of 2005-2009. The Census Bureau is proposing to modify its current line of data products to accommodate the 5-year estimates and is requesting comments from current and potential users of ACS data products to help guide this modification. The release of the 5-year estimates will achieve a goal of the ACS to provide small area data similar to the data published after Census 2000, based on the long-form sample. Plans for the production of an ACS Summary File for race, ethnic origin, ancestry, and country of birth, and another for American Indians and Alaska Natives, will be described in a future Federal Register notice.