1 Table of contents 51

Using American Community Survey to Understand Your Community

Attribution		2
Table of Contents		3
Meet the Authors		5
Teja Pristavec		5
Morgan Stockham		5
Acknowledgments		5
Introduction		6
Overview		6
Understanding the American Community Survey		7
American Community Survey		7
ACS Geographic Areas		7
Figure 1: County, census tract, and census block group maps of Patrick County, Virginia.		8
ACS Time Frames		9
Case Study 1: Where in My County Could Children be at Risk for Being Left out of Remote Education?		10
Step 1: Search for your keyword.		11
Figure 2: Using the search bar.		11
Step 2: Select your search results reporting format.		12
Figure 3: Selecting maps to filter.		12
Step 3: Search for your area.		13
Figure 4: Selecting search result filters.		13
Figure 5: Filtering search results to a limited geographic area.		14
Step 4: Find your data table.		15
Figure 6: Selecting a data table with relevant information.		15
Figure 7: Populating the area map with data.		16
Step 5: Find your variable.		17
Figure 8: Selecting the variable displayed on the map.		17
Figure 9: Reading the map.		18
Step 6: Customize your map.		19
Figure 10: Navigating to map customization options.		19
Figure 11: Navigating to map customization options.		20
Figure 12: Customizing the map.		21
Step 7: View data and explore more.		22
Figure 13: Viewing the raw data.		22
Figure 14: Learning more about the data.		23
Case Study 2: Where in my County Could Residents be at Risk for Eviction, and How Does that Compare to Surrounding Areas?		24
Step 1: Search for your area and data table		25
Figure 15: Selecting location and geography for the data.		25
Figure 16: Selecting a data profile subject area.		26
Step 2: Find and understand the relevant housing indicators		26
Figure 17: Table DP04 information.		26
Figure 18: Learning about housing tenure from the housing characteristics data profile table.		27
Figure 19: Learning about the year Los Angeles County residents moved into their homes.		27
Figure 20: Learning whether crowding is an issue in Los Angeles County housing units.		28
Figure 21: Learning about rent burden in Los Angeles County.		28
Step 3: Compare your area to another geography		29
Figure 22: Customizing the results table.		29
Figure 23: Relevant selection tools in the customize table section.		29
Figure 24: Selecting an additional location for comparison.		30
Figure 25a: Renter-occupied housing unit estimates for all of California.		31
Figure 25b: Renter-occupied housing unit estimates for Los Angeles County.		31
Figure 25c: Renter-occupied housing unit estimates for San Bernardino County.		31
Case Study 3: Who in My County is at Risk of Food Insecurity and How has That Changed Over Time?		32
Step 1: Search for your keyword.		33
Figure 26: Performing a search using the data.census.gov search bar.		33
Step 2: Select the data table.		34
Figure 27: Accessing the advanced result filtering option.		34
Figure 28: Filtering results to view subject tables.		35
Figure 29: Filtering results to view subject tables.		36
Step 3: Review table contents and select the geographic area.		37
Figure 30: The Food Stamps/SNAP subject table.		37
Figure 31: Selecting table columns.		38
Figure 32: Customizing the table to display information about a selected geographic area.		39
Figure 33: Selecting a geographic area for the subject table.		40
Step 4: Understand the data.		41
Figure 34: Subject table with results.		41
Step 5: Explore data over time.		43
Figure 35: Subject table with results.		43
Additional Tools		44
1. Narrative Profiles		44
2. Census Business Builder		45
3. OnTheMap for Emergency Management		45
4. My Congressional District		46
5. My Tribal Area		46
6. Census Flows Mapper		46
7. QuickFacts		47
Glossary		48
ACS Comparison Profiles		48
ACS Detailed Tables		48
ACS Subject Tables		49
American Community Survey (ACS)		49
Census Block Groups		50
Census Tracts		50
Margin of Error		51
U.S. Census Bureau		51

impact.extension.org

Powered by