The American Community Survey

How will the Census Bureau use
the information that I provide?

How do I get more information about
the American Community Survey?

The Census Bureau will compile and
publish estimates for geographical
areas, such as, for the nation, states,
counties and Puerto Rico municipios.
The Census Bureau will not publish or
release information that would identify a
facility, or its residents. Estimates are then
available for use by a variety of programs
supporting your community.

For more information about the American
Community Survey, or to obtain survey results
from past years, we encourage you to visit our
Web site at:

The American Community
Survey brings you
estimates every year
about . . .
education, children,
families, employment,
income, immigration,
race and Hispanic origin,
housing, group quarters,
rural life, commuting
patterns, and military
service.

http://www.census.gov/acs
or contact us by mail at the following address:
American Community Survey
U.S. Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road
Washington, DC 20233-7500
You can also telephone the Census Bureau’s
regional office nearest you as listed below:

Census Bureau Regional Offices
Atlanta, GA
1-800-424-6974
Chicago, IL
1-800-865-6384
Denver, CO
1-888-209-7659
Los Angeles, CA
1-800-992-3530 (ext. 1)
New York, NY
1-800-991-2520 (ext. 3400)
Philadelphia, PA
1-866-238-1374

U.S. Department of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Issued January 2012
ACS-50(GQ)

Attachment S

The American
Community Survey
Group Quarters

Attachment S

What is the American Community
Survey?
The American Community Survey provides
current demographic, social, economic,
and housing characteristics every year.
In the past, this information was only
available every 10 years when the decennial
census was conducted. Estimates from
the American Community Survey helps
communities make informed decisions and
is a key to their future.
Only a small sample of addresses is
selected to participate in the American
Community Survey and represent other
addresses in the community. In addition to
this household sample, the Census Bureau
selects a sample of group quarters (GQ)
facilities from a sample of all GQs in your
area each year. Individuals from sampled
GQs are randomly selected to participate
in the ACS. A Census Bureau representative
will contact the sample GQs and individuals
and conduct a personal interview. If a
personal interview is not possible, the
Census Bureau representative may collect
your information over the telephone or ask
that you complete the survey questionnaire.
If you complete the survey yourself, a
Census Bureau representative will arrange
for a day and time to return to the GQ to
pick up the completed questionnaire.

Do the sampled group quarters
and individuals have to answer
the questions on the American
Community Survey?
Yes. Your facility participation and your
response to this survey is required by law
(Title 13, United States Code, Sections
141, 193, and 221). The Census Bureau

estimates the survey will take about
25 minutes to complete. Send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any other
aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this
burden, to: Paperwork Reduction Project
0607-0810, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600
Silver Hill Road, AMSD-3K138, Washington,
DC 20233. You may email comments to
[email protected]; use “Paperwork
Project 0607-0810” as the subject.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approved this survey and gave it
OMB approval No. 0607-0810. Displaying
this number shows that the Census Bureau
is authorized to conduct this survey. Please
use this number in any correspondence
concerning this survey. Respondents are
not required to respond to any information
collection unless it displays a valid approval
number from the OMB.

How will my participation help me
and my community?
Billions of government and business dollars
are distributed among states, communities,
and population groups based on the social,
economic, housing, and GQ information
available for that area.

The information you provide will help you
and other individuals, local governments,
nongovernmental organizations, and
businesses to:
• Distribute resources to communities.
• Improve your community by deciding
where in your town new highways,
schools, and hospitals can do the most
good.
• Measure changes in the well-being of
children, families, and senior citizens to
plan for future programs.
• Plan for emergency situations that might
affect your community, such as floods,
fires, and other natural disasters.

Is the information I provide
confidential?
Yes. Your answers are confidential by law
under Title 13, United States Code,
Section 9. This law specifies that the
Census Bureau can use the information
provided by the facility and residents for
statistical purposes only and cannot publish
or release information that would identify
any group quarters or individual.