This should be a FAQ somewhere as this seems to come up frequently. The answer is that the smaller communities will not have any data until the the full five year file for disabilities is available. The 2000 Census overestimated disabilities and the Census Bureau has been working to improve the way that the disabilities questions are asked which has resulted in several changes in the questions/question order, which in turn, effect comparability over time.

SO, the last time that the disability questions were changed occurred in the ACS 2008 questionnaire. Which means that the disability data will not be available until the 2008-2012 ACS 5 year file is available (barring any other changes in the questions). This allows for comparability over time so that 5 years of data can be combined for the smaller area estimates.

Mike Cline
Hobby Center for the Study of Texas
Rice University
Houston, TX

On 2/7/2012 4:16 PM, Beverly Woods wrote:

Hi Elaine:

Can you tell me when the Census Bureau will be releasing updated information on disability status? There is ACS information available for some of our communities, but the ACS does not provide such data for our smaller communities.

Thank you for your help.

Beverly

============

Beverly Woods

Executive Director

Northern Middlesex Council of Governments

40 Church Street, Suite 200

Lowell, MA 01852

Phone: (978) 454-8021, ext. 20

Email: bwoods@nmcog.org
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-- 
Michael E. Cline, PhD
Associate Director
Hobby Center for the Study of Texas
Rice University
6100 Main St,MS-202
Houston, TX 77005
http://hobbycenter.rice.edu