Every 10 years the United States Census Bureau conducts a count of all residents across the United States and its five territories.
US Census
Ensuring Quality
Quality assurance is built into the process to guarantee counts are accurate. All numbers are checked using internal and external data comparisons to ensure proper processing. Even after the data is released, efforts are ongoing to evaluate the data's quality and to review the census creation process.
Additionally, results are verified by external organizations to confirm the data is of the highest quality. The lessons learned during this process form the basis from which the subsequent census is designed, tested, and implemented.
Additional Details
- Frequency: Conducted every ten years.
- Purpose: Counts every person living in the U.S. to allocate congressional seats, electoral votes, and federal funding.
- Short Form: Collects basic demographic information, such as age, sex, and household composition. As of 2020, the US census was shortened to a handful of questions to gather basic details about the American population.
Every year the ACS form is sent to 1 in 38 US households. This is an ongoing survey that provides annual estimates on the country and its population, the details of which help inform how federal, state and city funds are spent. The survey gathers the same data as the Census and details about educational attainment, labor force, marital status, property value, vehicles available, language at home, and more
This provides a rolling estimate of the US population though it is not a complete record of the US population as a whole.
Additional Details
- Frequency: Conducted annually.
- Purpose: Provides more detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data.
- Sample Size: Surveys about 3.5 million households each year, offering insights on a range of topics, including education, income, and commuting patterns.
- Importance: Helps inform local, state, and federal policies and programs based on community needs.
Find out more about the American Community Survey
here.
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