The Who, What, and Where of America: Understanding the American Community Survey, 10th Ed.

Editor Hattis (State Profiles: The Population and Economy of Each U.S. State) has more than a decade of experience writing for statistical and government research publications. In this work, she draws on that knowledge to offer guidance on the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Since the decennial census was changed in 2010 to a more concise survey of American households, it has been supplemented by the more frequent ACS, which replicates the old census’s traditional long-form approach to data collecting and is intended to provide a sampling of key demographic data of the United States’ populace; this was the most substantial change to the census in more than 60 years. Now, in addition to the decennial census, the ACS surveys nearly 300,000 households in any given month. This information has long been utilized by local, state, and federal governmental researchers to evaluate populations and program needs. Hattis’s book includes research aids to help better understand the ACS and highlight what it can tell people about American society. There are also appendixes to further clarify data.