Beginning with the 2024 data collection year, the American Community Survey (ACS) used third-party vendor records to replace or supplement survey responses for the housing question on acreage. This methodological change was feasible as a result of research conducted by the Census Bureau that was completed in 2023: Acreage Administrative Records Data Research for the American Community Survey.

If a third-party record was available for the housing unit in sample and met the data quality standards the Census Bureau has deemed acceptable for use, then the administrative record was used during data collection in one of two ways. First, the electronic data collection instruments were made adaptive. The online self-response instrument and the instrument used for personal interviews skipped the acreage question and used the third-party record. Second, while the acreage question remained on the paper questionnaire, if a third-party record was available, the survey response provided by the respondent was replaced with administrative data during data processing.

The ACS currently does not publish any tables on acreage; however, acreage estimates are available in the Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) files. Users of the PUMS files may see impacts to estimates for the acreage variable (ACR). In general, these methodological changes resulted in an increase of units on either less than 1 acre or on 10 or more acres, but a decrease of units on 1 to 9.9 acres.