ACS Data Users Group

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  • 1.  Inquiry about ACS and 2020 census tract boundaries

    Posted 02-09-2021 10:05 AM

    I'm passing these questions on (that I didn't know the answers too offhand) for a friend at USC...

    • Does anyone know when the American Community Survey (ACS) data will start to be released with the new 2020 tracts? Perhaps when the 2020 5-year estimates are released in December?
    • Will we need to rely on crosswalks to convert all of our old ACS data (i.e. they won’t be re-releasing previous years of data with new boundaries)?

    Thanks for any help!

    -Kathy Pettit



  • 2.  RE: Inquiry about ACS and 2020 census tract boundaries

    Posted 02-09-2021 10:23 AM

    If they follow the usual schedule (which I don't know because of COVID), the 2020 data products (2020 1-year and 2016-2020 5-yr) should be using 2020 Census geography vintages. They don't re-release old data with the updated geography boundaries because small changes in borders might make some respondents identifiable.

    More info: https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_geography_handbook_2020.pdf#page=18



  • 3.  RE: Inquiry about ACS and 2020 census tract boundaries

    Posted 02-09-2021 10:32 AM

    This is a great resource - thank you!



  • 4.  RE: Inquiry about ACS and 2020 census tract boundaries

    Posted 02-22-2021 04:02 PM

    But this document says: "More specifically, ACS data generally reflect the geographic boundaries of legal areas as of January 1 of the estimate year." Were the new 2020 geographies already in use by Jan. 1, 2020?



  • 5.  RE: Inquiry about ACS and 2020 census tract boundaries

    Posted 02-10-2021 02:55 PM

    Hi Kathy,

    Thanks for reaching out. There is a lot of interest in learning more about what geographic boundaries will be used with the 2020 ACS later this year. The 2020 ACS will use the 2020 Census boundaries for tracts and block groups. We're working with our colleagues in the geography division to update the 2020 tab to the Geography Boundaries by Year page (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/geography-acs/geography-boundaries-by-year.html), and we hope to post it by the end of the month.
    Thanks,

    Gretchen