EMBARGOED UNTIL: 12:01 A.M. EDT, JUNE 17, 1998 (WEDNESDAY) Public Information Office CB98-103 301-457-303/301-457-3670 (fax) 301-457-4067 (TDD) e-mail: pio@census.gov Elaine Quesinberry 301-457-3110 Census Bureau Releases Community Profiles On New CD-ROM The Commerce Department's Census Bureau today announced the release of a new CD-ROM with community-profile data for four test locations from the American Community Survey (ACS). The four sites are: Portland/Multnomah County, Ore.; Rockland County, N.Y.; Fulton County, Pa.; and Brevard County, Fla. After the release time, the tabulations can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.census.gov/acs/www. "The American Community Survey will give local residents more current and accurate economic, demographic and housing information every year," said James Holmes, acting Census Bureau director. "Right now this kind of detailed information is only collected once every 10 years on the long form of the decennial census. In 2010, we expect the American Community Survey to replace the long form. But, long before then, community leaders will be able to use data from the American Community Survey to make decisions about planning and economic development. To make the data on the CD-ROM, called American Community Survey: 1996 Site Data, accessible to a diverse range of users, the Census Bureau chose Beyond 20/20, an off-the-shelf software program developed by Ivation Datasystems, Inc. Data are on the CD-ROM in three formats: - Profiles a summary table for each county (i.e., total population and median income) - Summary tabulations similar to census sample data, for areas as small as census tracts (for examples, marital status, commuting patterns, income and poverty status, educational attainment) - Public-use microdata files (except for Fulton County) The software allows users to: - Browse or search tables, using key words - Generate customized tables and charts - Display tables, charts and maps side by side If Congress continues to authorize the funds, starting in 2003 every county in the country will be participating in the ACS. The national sample will be about 3 million housing units a year. The CD-ROM is available free by calling the Census Bureau's Customer Services on 301-763-INFO(4636).-X-Editor's Note: The Public Information Office now has a media-access server for embargoed news releases and data sets. It is available to accredited media representatives only. To gain access, please contact us for a usern ame and password. The media-access server's Internet address is http://www.census.gov/dcmd/www/embargo/embargo.html. We would appreciate any comments you may have about the site. The Census Bureau pre-eminent collector and provider of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. In more than 100 surveys annually and 20 censuses a decade, evolving from the first census in 1790, the Census Bureau provides official information about America's people, businesses, industries and institutions.
