An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Choosing which dataset involves more than simply considering the population size in your area. You must think about the balance between currency and sample size/reliability/precision. For details, research implications, and examples, see "Understanding and Using ACS Single-Year and Multiyear Estimates," in section 3 of the handbook "Understanding and Using ACS Data: What All Data Users Need to Know."
1-year estimates |
1-year supplemental estimates |
3-year estimates* |
5-year estimates |
---|---|---|---|
12 months of collected data Example: 2021 ACS 1-year estimates Date collected between: January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 |
12 months of collected data Example: 2021 ACS 1-year supplemental estimates Date collected between: January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 |
36 months of collected data Example: 2011-2013 ACS 3-year estimates Date collected between: January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2013 |
60 months of collected data Example: 2017-2021 ACS 5-year estimates Date collected between: January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2021 |
Data for areas with populations of 65,000+ |
Data for areas with populations of 20,000+ | Data for areas with populations of 20,000+ |
Data for all areas |
Smallest sample size | Smallest sample size | Larger sample size than 1-year | Largest sample size |
Less reliable than 3-year or 5-year | Less reliable than 5-year | More reliable than 1-year; less reliable than 5-year | Most reliable |
Most current data | Most current data | Less current than 1-year estimates; more current than 5-year | Least current |
Annually released: 2005-present |
Annually released: 2014-present | Annually released: 2007-2013 | Annually released: 2009-present |
Best used when |
Best used when |
Best used when |
Best used when |
Currency is more important than precision Analyzing large populations | Currency is more important than precision Analyzing smaller populations Examining smaller geographies because the standard 1-year estimates are not available | More precise than 1-year, spans fewer years than 5-year Analyzing smaller populations Examining smaller geographies because the standard 1-year estimates are not available | Precision is more important than currency Analyzing very small populations Examining tracts and other smaller geographies because 1-year estimates are not available |
*ACS 3-year estimates have been discontinued. The 2005-2007, 2006-2008, 2007-2009, 2008-2010, 2009-2011, 2010-2012 and 2011-2013 ACS 3-year estimates will remain available to data users, but no new 3-year estimates will be produced. Every community in the nation will continue to receive a detailed statistical portrait of its social, economic, housing and demographic characteristics through 1-year and 5-year ACS products.
Related Information
Top