This training session will review different ways to access ACS data from the Census Bureau webpage.  On December 9, the Census Bureau will release the first 3-year tabulation (2005 through 2007) from the American Community Survey.  Data for areas reaching a population threshold of 20,000 will be released.  Previous ACS results were limited to areas that reached a population threshold of 65,000, so many more counties and cities will be included in this release.   The geographic units in which you are likely to be most interested in are: County, Place (cities and Census-designated Places), and PUMA.   Approximately 60% of counties in the U.S. will be included. 

This training session IS NOT a basic introduction on the American Community Survey.  Please review Census Bureau materials on the American Community Survey  at :  http://www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/

The Census Bureau has also released a new series of guidebooks for the ACS called the Compass series.  These are available at:  http://www.census.gov/acs/www/UseData/Compass/handbook_def.html

The American FactFinder is very user-friendly, but if you haven’t used it before, this short session will make you more comfortable with finding tables, and saving the data to your own computer. 

The SAME materials will be covered on both days with the same presenters, please attend only one.   

December 2, 2008   at 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.  70 seats, requires  “advanced registration”

To register for the DECEMBER 2 session:

http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/web_conf_learner_reg.aspx?webConfID=15626

Moderator:  Ed Christopher, FHWA Resource Center Planning Team

1.  Welcome and ACS training materials, MOE calculator, Ed Christopher (10 min)

2.  Using American FactFinder, Melissa Chiu, US Census Bureau  (25 min plus 10 min Q&A)

3.  Using data download and thematic maps—Liang Long, Cambridge Systematics (20 min plus 10 min Q&A)

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December 5, 2008   at 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.  40 seats, requires  “advanced registration”

To register for the DECEMBER 5 session:

http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/web_conf_learner_reg.aspx?webConfID=15625

Elaine Murakami

FHWA Office of Planning

206-220-4460 (in Seattle)