The American Community Survey (ACS) replaced the Decennial Census Long Form as the way to collect detailed data on social, economic, and housing characteristics. If you have seen data such as the number of households without a vehicle or the mean travel time to work, then you have seen detailed data from the Decennial Census Long Form.

In December of 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau released the first 5-year estimates from the American Community Survey. These are the only estimates that are available for most rural counties and the only estimates that are comparable across all counties.

Since the ACS collects and reports data differently that what we are used to, this section of the Kentucky: By The Numbers website provides access to resources and links for information about the survey and the data.

For more information about the American Community Survey, see the Census Bureau.

Archive

The materials below are archived and were created before April 24, 2026. They are provided for reference, research, or recordkeeping purposes and may not meet current accessibility standards.

Filling out the Survey

• American Community Survey Information Guide
• Respond to the American Community Survey
• Get help in filling out the American Community Survey
• See a sample of the American Community Survey
• Learn more about why each question is asked

Accessing Data from the Survey

• More than the Top Ten: A Resource for Questions about the American Community Survey
• Data Availability for Extension Regions and Areas from the American Community Survey
• Availability of County-Level Data for Kentucky from the American Community Survey (alphabetic order)
• Data Availability for Kentucky Counties from the American Community Survey (by type of estimate)
• Data Availability from the ACS

In addition to issues of Kentucky: By The Numbers, see sample size and response rates in Kentucky and access the data from the ACS from the Kentucky State Data Center.

To find data for all places, all counties, and all geographies in the nation (including Kentucky), see the Census Bureau.

Using Data from the Survey

The ACS is now the place to go for detailed data on the social, economic, and housing characteristics of our counties and communities. As with any data source, those from the ACS differ in many ways from other data sources we might use.

Below are resources and publications to help us understand and accurately use data from this data source.

• New Kid in Town: Understanding Data from the American Community Survey
• And Now for the Grain of Salt: Margins of Error and the American Community Survey
• Cautionary Tales: Comparing the American Community Survey with Data from the Decennial Census
• Quick List: Comparing the 2009 American Community Survey with the 2000 Decennial Census Long Form.
• The 2020 Census: Why It Counts to be Counted
• Following the 2020 Census: Responses in your County
• The 2010 Census New Decade, New Data
• A Picture is Worth... Using a Newer Program to Make Charts and Graphs with Data from the American Community Survey
• A Picture is Worth...Using an Older Program to Make Charts and Graphs with Data from the American Community Survey

The Census Bureau has produced a series of handbooks for different data users of the ACS. See the complete list.

Sample Tables from the American Community Survey

To help get a feel for the data, below are sample tables for some of the data products available from the ACS.

Data Profiles provide compilations of commonly used data. Table names begin with the letters "DP" and include both estimates and commonly used percents.

• Social Characteristics Profile
• Economic Characteristics Profile
• Housing Characteristics Profile
• Demographic Characteristics Profile

Subject Tables provide data on a wide variety of topics. The tables include both estimates and commonly used percents. Table names begin with the letter "S" and include both estimates and commonly used percents. Which subject tables are available varies depending on data availability.

• Subject Table on Educational Attainment
• Subject Table on Ages 60 and Over
• Subject Table on Households and Families
• List of Subject Tables Available

See other data products available from the American Community Survey.