The Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation’s people and economy. We honor privacy, protect confidentiality, share our expertise globally, and conduct our work openly. We are guided on this mission by our strong and capable workforce, our readiness to innovate, and our abiding commitment to our customers.
Part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The Current Population Survey (CPS) is a monthly survey of about 50,000 households conducted by the Bureau of the Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The survey has been conducted for more than 50 years.
The CPS is the primary source of information on the labor force characteristics of the U.S. population. The sample is scientifically selected to represent the civilian noninstitutional population. Respondents are interviewed to obtain information about the employment status of each member of the household 15 years of age and older. However, published data focus on those ages 16 and over. The sample provides estimates for the nation as a whole and serves as part of model-based estimates for individual states and other geographic areas.
Estimates obtained from the CPS include employment, unemployment, earnings, hours of work, and other indicators. They are available by a variety of demographic characteristics including age, sex, race, marital status, and educational attainment. They are also available by occupation, industry, and class of worker. Supplemental questions to produce estimates on a variety of topics including school enrollment, income, previous work experience, health, employee benefits, and work schedules are also often added to the regular CPS questionnaire.
CPS data are used by government policymakers and legislators as important indicators of our nations’s economic situation and for planning and evaluating many government programs. They are also used by the press, students, academics, and the general public.
America is changing, and so is the census. The American Community Survey lets communities see how they are changing - filling in the gaps between each 10-year census. The ACS:
The American Community Survey (ACS) is a new nationwide survey designed to provide communities a fresh look at how they are changing. It is a critical element in the Census Bureau’s reengineered 2010 census plan. The ACS collects information such as age, race, income, commute time to work, home value, veteran status, and other important data from U.S. households. As with the official decennial census, information about individuals will remain confidential.
The ACS collects and produces population and housing information every year instead of every ten years. About three million households are surveyed each year, from across every county in the nation. Collecting data every year reduces the cost of the official decennial census, and provides more up-to-date information throughout the decade about trends in the U.S. population at the local community level.
The ACS began in 1996 and has expanded each subsequent year. Data from the 2006 ACS are available for geographic areas with a population of 65,000 or more, including 783 counties, 436 congressional districts, 621 metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia.