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Using the American Community Survey Summary File: What Data Users Need to Know

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Using the American Community Survey Summary File: What Data Users Need to Know

The American Community Survey (ACS) Table-Based Summary File is less complex and improves ease of use. This format groups estimates and margins of error into one file by table ID for all Detailed Tables and all geographies available. Data users with programming skills and access to statistical software can use the Summary File to download and analyze ACS data for a wide range of geographic areas.

This guide provides an overview of the ACS Table-Based Summary File and how it can be used to access data on America’s communities. Data users using the original Sequence-Based Summary File format can find this documentation and handbook on the ACS Summary File Sequence-Based Format webpage.

Table-Based Summary File Handbook

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Others in Series

Publication
What Users of Data for Amer. Indians and Alaska Natives Need to Know
March 2021
This handbook helps users of data for AIAN learn how to access and use ACS data and provide concrete examples of how ACS data can answer real-world questions.
Publication
What the Business Community Needs to Know
October 2020
This handbook helps business data users learn how to access and use ACS data and provide concrete examples of how ACS data can answer real-world questions.
Publication
Understanding and Using ACS Data: What All Data Users Need to Know
September 2020
This handbook helps general data users learn how to access and use ACS data and provide concrete examples of how ACS data can answer real-world questions.
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Page Last Revised - May 1, 2025
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