Sep
Census.gov
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Is the American Community Survey from www.census.gov/acs?
We received a 28 page survey that asks a lot of personal questions. Is this legitimate? It is the American Community Survey and they said it was random for 250,000 homes per month.
Yes it is legitimate. Your answers, which are kept confidential under Title 13 of the US Code, are used to help shape Federal Policy on a number of issues. Every question in the survey is supported by a federal law which requires a specific statistic. For instance, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires information on the number of children with disabilities.
The ACS replaces the Decennial Long-form. Instead of once every 10 years, taking a 1-in-6 sample of the population, the Census takes about a 1% sample every year. It’s cheaper and we (the public) get more timely data.
The ACS is not simply a Federal tool, however. State governments and local communities use data from the ACS to help decide local issues like to address traffic patterns (hence the questions on time you leave from work and place of work).
The 2010 Census – “What’s the point?” Website: 2010.census.gov