The Who, What, and Where of America

Book excerpt: The Who, What, and Where of America Understanding the American Community Survey Part of Bernan Press's County and City Extra Series In the fall of 2013, the Census Bureau released data from the American Community Survey (ACS) one-year (2012) and three-year (2010–2012) estimates for the United States. The ACS replaced the decennial census long form in 2010 and now collects long-form-type information on a continuing basis rather than every 10 years, providing more current data. The ACS provides a regular stream of updated information for states and local areas and has revolutionized the way we use data to understand our communities. It produces social, housing, and economic characteristics for demographic groups. This fourth edition of The Who, What, and Where of America uses the 2010–2012 ACS data to present a concise resource of information that tells a story about America—its population, levels of education, types of employment and housing, and patterns of migration and transportation in one, convenient volume. The Who, What, and Where of America pulls details from the ACS that identify America at a certain point in time: Who: Age, Race and Ethnicity, and Household Structure What: Education, Employment, and Income Where: Migration, Housing, and Transportation Each part is preceded by highlights and ranking tables that show how areas diverge from the national norm. These research aids are invaluable for understanding data from the ACS and for highlighting what it tells us about who we are, what we do, and where we live. Each topic is divided into four tables revealing the results of the data collected from different types of geographic areas in the United States, generally with populations greater than 20,000. Table A. States Table B. Counties Table C. Metropolitan Areas Table D. Cities In this issue you will find social and economic estimates on the ways American Communities are changing with regard to the following: Age and race Health care coverage Marital history Education attainment Income and occupation Commute time to work Employment status Home values and monthly costs Veteran status Size of home or rental unit This title is the latest in the County and City Extra Series of publications from Bernan Press. Other titles include County and City Extra, County and City Extra: Special Decennial Census Edition, and Places, Towns, and Townships. For more information on these and other titles available from Bernan Press, please visit us on the Web at www.bernan.com or call us at 1-800-865-3457