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Explore the most frequently asked questions about the American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) files. If your question is not covered here, please feel free to Contact Us or visit the free online forum in the American Community Survey Data User Group.
Why don't the ACS PUMS file estimates match data.census.gov estimates?
...the PUMS files include only about two-thirds of the cases used to produce estimates on data.census.gov.
Is it possible to identify when a survey was completed in the PUMS?
No, there is no variable in the PUMS files to identify the month (or season, school year, etc)...
What geographic areas are identified in the ACS PUMS files?
States, Puerto Rico, and Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) are the only geographic areas identified in the ACS PUMS...
What are the Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMAs) in the ACS PUMS data?
Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) are non-overlapping areas that partition each state into areas containing about 100,000 residents...
How can I view geographic boundaries used in the ACS?
You can use TIGERweb to view the ACS geographic boundaries...
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