U.S. Census Statistics: Decennial Census & American Community Survey

A Compass for Understanding and Using American Community Survey Data

A series of handbooks for different audiences providing guidance in understanding and using the American Community Survey.

Decennial Census (also known as the Census of Population and Housing)

• Conducted every 10 years beginning in 1790.
• From the 20th century it provides demographic and socio-economic statistics for population areas down to the block and neighborhood level.

American Community Survey (ACS)

• Replaces the long form (sample questionnaire) of the decennial census from 2010.
• Collects statistics on detailed demographic and socio-economic characteristics.
• Statistics are available for some geographic areas from the ACS beginnning in 2001.

See what statistics are available in each year with this list of items on the 1790-2010 Census of Population and Housing schedules (PDF)

****Block and block group data and 295 detailed tables from ACS 5 year estimates prior to the 2009-2013 estimates are not available on Factfinder. They must be downloaded from the ACS web site. (The ACS 2009-2013 5 year data are available on FactFinder at the block group level.)

• Use the Summary File Tool (an Excel file with macro) to view the downloaded files as spreadsheets instead of text files.
• MSU affiliates can access ACS block group data and the 295 detailed tables through Social Explorer.