August 15, 2006 - For the first time, the U.S. Census Bureau has released key demographic and social data for areas with populations of 65,000 or more – an updated look at how the nation’s population has changed, and the first for many communities since Census 2000.
The Census Bureau’s new American Community Survey (ACS) provides more timely and updated information about the nation’s changing and diverse population every year. Without the ACS, this type of information — historically gathered just once a decade — would not be available for communities until 2012.
The 2005 ACS data include demographic and social information such as race, Hispanic origin, age, education, marital status, grandparents as caregivers, veterans, disability status and U.S. citizenship. The data is available for nearly 7,000 areas, including all congressional districts and counties, cities and American Indian/Alaska native areas of 65,000 population or more.
Additionally, the data represent the first update of key population characteristics from 2000 to 2005 for 75 of the top 100 fastest-growing cities in the nation – including Irvine, Calif.; Brownsville, Texas; Charleston, S.C.; and Norman, Okla.
