December 13, 2010 — Tomorrow, the United States Census Bureau will release for the first time five years of detailed information about American communities, including data about families and relationships, income and benefits, health insurance, education, veteran status, disabilities and commuting. The data will come from results of the American Community Survey, begun annually in 2005; and the release marks the first time that ACS data will be available for all communities in the U.S.

Demographers at the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service released today "American Community Survey Multi-Year Estimates," the latest edition of their "Stat Chat" publications, to help data users in Virginia understand the ACS and use the data effectively. Stat Chat is available online.

"Unlike the more familiar and historic decennial census, taken every 10 years, the ACS is new and has been administered to only a sample of residents," said Susan Clapp of the Cooper Center's Demographics & Workforce group. "Now, five consecutive years of data collection make it possible for communities of all sizes in the commonwealth, and other states, to benefit from ACS results. We use census and ACS data everyday, and we are here to help people understand and learn a great deal from this current and more detailed data."

The Demographics & Workforce Group has also published a Census Data primer to help guide people through the next few years of 2010 Census and American Community Survey data releases. It is available online.

About the Demographics and Workforce Unit

Experts may be contacted for information, statistics and quotations on: Virginia's population (including race/ethnicity, gender, age and other factors including county/city/town/ and regional characteristics) and population trends; United States Census Bureau data and projects; and workforce needs, educational attainment and employment patterns.