Census Bureau's American Community Survey Provides Income, Poverty, Health Insurance Statistics for States and Local Areas

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Income levels and poverty rates were not statistically different for most states and metro areas from 2011 to 2012, according to statistics released today from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Incomes remained lower and poverty rates were higher in 2012 than in 2007, the year before the recession.

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The percentage of people without health insurance fell in most states in 2012 from 2010 levels, after rising between 2008 to 2010. The survey began asking about health insurance in 2008.

"The American Community Survey provides indispensable information about our nation's people, housing and economy," Census Bureau Director John H. Thompson said. "In order for governments, businesses and communities to make the most informed decisions possible, they need timely and accurate statistics as a basis for future planning."

The 2012 American Community Survey provides a multitude of statistics that measure the social, economic and housing conditions of U.S. communities. More than 40 topics are available with today's release, such as educational attainment, housing, employment, commuting, language spoken at home, nativity, ancestry and selected monthly homeowner costs. Today's local-level income, poverty and health insurance results from the American Community Survey follow Tuesday's release of the national measures for each, drawn from the Current Population Survey.

The statistics released today are available in detailed tables for the nation, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, every congressional district, every metropolitan area, and all counties and places with populations of 65,000 or more.

Also released today are three reports providing analysis on income, poverty and health insurance for states and metropolitan areas.

For more information:

Income

Poverty

Health Insurance

Metro Area Releases and Infographics for Top 25

Also being released are 25 local releases and infographics showing key changes in income and other social, economic and housing findings and changes for the nation's top 25 metropolitan areas, based on statistics from the 2012 American Community Survey.

About the American Community Survey

The American Community Survey provides a wide range of important statistics about all communities in the country. The American Community Survey gives communities the current information they need to plan investments and services. Retailers, homebuilders, police departments, and town and city planners are among the many private- and public-sector decision makers who count on these annual results.

Ever since Thomas Jefferson directed the first census in 1790, the census has collected detailed characteristics about our nation's people. Questions about jobs and the economy were added 20 years later under James Madison, who said such information would allow Congress to "adapt the public measures to the particular circumstances of the community," and over the decades allow America "an opportunity of marking the progress of the society."

Beginning in the fall of 2013, the Census Bureau is undertaking a review of all questions on the American Community Survey to ensure adequate coverage of statistical information that communities rely on. The survey is the only source of local statistics for most of the 40 topics it covers, such as educational attainment, housing, employment, commuting, language spoken at home, nativity, ancestry and selected monthly homeowner costs down to the smallest communities. The Census Bureau will invite the public to give feedback on each question asked in the survey. For more information on the review process, please visit the American Community Survey website for more details.

Additional American Community Survey Results

On Oct. 24, the Census Bureau will release a set of American Community Survey statistics covering all areas with populations of 20,000 or more, based on data collected between 2010 and 2012. A third set of American Community Survey statistics, available for all geographic areas regardless of population size, down to the block group level, will be released on Dec. 5 covering 2008 to 2012.

Note: Statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. All comparisons made in the reports have been tested and found to be statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level, unless otherwise noted. Please consult the tables for specific margins of error. For more information, go to http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/documentation_main/.

Changes in survey design from year to year can affect results. See http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/2012_release/ for more information on changes affecting the 2012 statistics. See http://www.census.gov/acs/www/guidance_for_data_users/comparing_2012/ for guidance on comparing 2012 American Community Survey statistics with previous years and the 2010 Census.

Brian Lavin
Public Information Office 
301-763-3030 
email: [email protected]

Press Kit 
2012 ACS Questionnaire 
Detailed Tables

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau