Modeling a Voluntary American Community Survey

The Census Bureau and American Community Survey (ACS) have been under attack from Congress and the White House for over a decade. Response rates (to this mandatory survey of population) are declining, funding for these critical programs are being cut, and every year new laws are proposed that erode public trust and effect the accuracy of the data shared back with the public. Data critical for planners, policy-makers, businesses, and researchers studying population change, housing, education, and economics. One of the most damaging proposals would consider making the American Community Survey voluntary not mandatory, which would have a significant impact on data quality. These web apps and series of maps show how response rates have declined over time, how much worse they could get under a voluntary ACS, and the percentage of counties in each state with unacceptable or unpublishable data. This is an on-going project with Minnesotans for the American Community Survey (MACS), with support from the Census Project and other national partners.