ACS Data Users Group

We are pleased to announce the first release of documentation in support of the 2011-2015 ACS 5-year estimates. The data will be released on December 8, 2016. This documentation offers ACS data users the opportunity to prepare for next week's release. The ACS 5-year estimates are the most relied-on source for detailed, up-to-date demographic, social, economic, and housing statistics covering every community in the nation

New and updated information related to this release is available now on the 2015 Data Release page.

Highlights include links to the following:

• The Table & Geography changes page explains new, modified, and removed tables.
• The Summary File Technical Documentation page includes appendices and sequence number/table number lookup files.

The U.S. Census Bureau will hold a webinar at 1:00 pm EST on December 5 in advance of the December 8 data release. The webinar will show participants how to access the data and compare geographies and statistics over time. See webinar access information below.

Please log in early, as some setup is required. An updated browser is recommended.

Audio conference access information: Toll free number: 1-888-396-9971, Participant passcode: 7775876

The ACS provides reliable statistics that are used to make informed decisions about the future. These statistics are required by all levels of government to manage or evaluate a wide range of programs, but are also useful for research, business, education, journalism, and advocacy. If you have questions about this survey, please call our Customer Services Center on 1 (800) 923-8282.

Thank you,

American Community Survey Office

U.S. Census Bureau

Perhaps this isn't the best place to make this suggestion, but here goes:

Would it be possible to make the full ACS geography files available in advance of the release?

I know there are some basic geo files in http://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2015/documentation/geography/5yr_year_geo/, but these files include only state abbreviation, logrecno, geoid, and name. I'm referring to the full geo files that include these fields: FILEID, STUSAB, SUMLEVEL, COMPONENT, LOGRECNO, US, REGION, DIVISION, STATECE, STATE, COUNTY, COUSUB, PLACE, TRACT, BLKGRP, CONCIT, AIANHH, AIANHHFP, AIHHTLI, AITSCE, AITS, ANRC, CBSA, CSA, METDIV, MACC, MEMI, NECTA, CNECTA, NECTADIV, UA, CDCURR, SLDU, SLDL, ZCTA5, SUBMCD, SDELM, SDSEC, SDUNI, UR, PCI, PUMA5, GEOID, NAME, BTTR, BTBG.

Normally these geo files arrive along with the summary file release on embargo day, but I can't think of any reason why the geos need to be embargoed. It would be really helpful to have this data ahead of time.

Hello and thank you for the feedback. While it is obviously too late to implement forDY2015, I have passed along this information to our ACS data products area and they have it under consideration for the DY2016. It sounds like they will be able to accommodate this request.