ACS Data Users Group

I've been under the impression that the 2020 ACS summary files would be using the proposed new format. We've been working to prepare for that change. Today's release of 2020 5-year summary file metadata suggests I was mistaken. All the documentation suggests next week's release will continue using only the old format. Is that right? Did I miss an announcement about this?

Will the new summary file at least be available in both formats at some point (as the 2019 summary files currently are)? And if so, how soon will the 2020 summary file be available in the new format?

Note: I've also posed this question on the Census Bureau's Slack Developer's Forum. If I get an answer there, I'll report back here.

Hi Jonathan,

The ACS Summary File will be available in the current and new formats on March 17 (as well as in the embargo starting March 15).

Gretchen

Thanks, Gretchen. That's a big relief for us!

That's great! Is the new format still officially a prototype?

Hello.

It's March 17 and I do see the new data but I only see the 'old' format.

Did you release the new format files? If yes then please could you provide a link?

Thank you,

Varsham

We just found them at https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2020/prototype/.

(Initially, we'd assumed they were at https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2020/data/5_year_entire_sf/, but your message prompted me dig around a little more. Glad you asked the question!)

Thank you! I just found it a few minutes ago too.

After submitting the question I have decided to check the earlier location with the sample files and I saw that the data was there!

Thank you,

Varsham

Hi Varsham,

It looks like you found the data. There's also a corresponding webpage at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/data/summary-file/updates-to-acs-summary-file.html.

Gretchen

Yes, I am all set. I will stop using the 'legacy format' and I will start using this new format for processing this year's data.

Thank you very much!

Varsham

Is the data available at the usual FTP (https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2020/data/? ) still in the legacy format? Or has it been replaced by the prototype format already?

Those are still the legacy format.