The American Community Survey (ACS), which was fully implemented in 2005, is an ongoing nationwide survey undertaken by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The ACS collects sample socio-economic and housing data that is similar to that found on the “long form” surveys in past decennial censuses. With the ACS, however, the Census Bureau releases current estimates every year (rather than the once every ten year data release that was available with each decennial census).

Data on more than 40 topics, such as educational attainment, income, occupation, commuting to work, language spoken at home, nativity, ancestry, and selected monthly homeowner costs, are included.

The ACS produces highly detailed social, economic, housing, and demographic statistics in the following series:

• Five-year estimates (all geographic areas, including census tracts)
• One-year supplemental estimates (selected data for areas with a population of 20,000+)
• One-year estimates (areas with a population of 65,000+)