American Community Survey (ACS)

ACS-Summary File (SF) Technical Documentation

The technical documentation contains information and reference materials on how to use the ACS-SF. Chapter 2 of this document, "How to Use the ACS Summary File", is a guide to the ACS-SF and the documentation. New users should review this chapter before using the ACS-SF. All documentation should be reviewed before accessing the files on the FTP site.

ACS 2006-2008 Summary File: Technical Documentation (Production) [PDF 442KB]
ACS 2008 Summary File: Technical Documentation (Production) [PDF 441KB]
ACS 2005-2007 3-Year Summary File: Technical Documentation (Production) [PDF 555KB]
ACS 2007 Summary File: Technical Documentation (Production) [PDF 1.2MB]
ACS 2006 Summary File: Technical Documentation (Production) [PDF 1.2MB]
ACS 2005 Summary File: Technical Documentation (Prototype) [PDF 775KB]

Below is an example of how to access an estimate and its corresponding margin of error for a specific geographic area.

ACS 2006-2008 3-Year SF Worked Example (Production) [PDF 29KB]
ACS 2008 SF Worked Example (Production) [PDF 15KB]
ACS 2005-2007 3-Year SF Worked Example (Production) [PDF 19KB]
ACS 2007 SF Worked Example (Production) [PDF 29KB]
ACS 2006 SF Worked Example (Production) [PDF 34KB]
ACS 2005 SF Worked Example [PDF 16KB]

We encourage data users to assist us in improving the design and future implementation of the ACS-SF. Please send comments and/or questions on this production version and the documentation via email to: nicholas.m.spanos@census.gov.

Throughout 2009-2010 we may issue updates and corrections to this production version of the ACS-SF. We will keep users aware of these updates via the ACS Alert from the ACS website and on the ACS errata notes page located on: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/UseData/Errata.htm.

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