What's the smallest geographic slice to browse ACS data?

Hello, new to the forum Wave

I’m exploring data in the ACS 5-year survey data. I thought I’d look at the census tract-level, but notice that in many tables the data has large margins of error, with a coefficient of variation 50% or more (screenshot).

When looking at ACS 5-year data, what’s the smallest geographic slice you look at? Seems like the zip code is where margin of error comes within a tolerable range? Of course would depend on the specific table. Tables that include multi-dimensional demographic slicing probably still have a high MOE at the zip code level.

Thanks,

Parents
  • As someone new and not into stats etc. I pulled some key measures ACS1 by county and found most had data (not -99999999 ). However, there were some key race measures (Black and Hispanic for example) with a lot of -999999. I think there actually was a state that was missing one or more races for the ACS1.  I think S2701_C01_017E and S2701_C01_023E stood out the most. I assume that the ACS5 will resolve most of these issues at the county and lower levels. I'm going to compare ACS1 and ACS5 for the 900 counties in ACS1 to see what the differences are. I will use around 70 measures. When I'm done, I'll paste the 70 measures ACS1 vs ACS5 in a discussion here (just for reference in case anyone wants to see it). I could also do something with margin or errors, but for all the Public Health websites and more, they just take whatever the data values are without regard to margin of error, so I think I will too. No heavy lifting, just using the published numbers. Not that I could if I tried, not in your league but I'm Ok with that.

    These are a few of the measures and what percent of the 900 counties have data  for ACS1  (not -9999999). So later perhaps 4 columns with percent with data and the actual numbers by diff ACS1 vs ACS5   Top level, no mix and match (by Age by Race, by Poverty)

    Estimate!!Total!!Total population 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Total population!!SELECTED AGE CATEGORIES!!18 years and over 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Total population!!SELECTED AGE CATEGORIES!!65 years and over 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Total population!!SUMMARY INDICATORS!!Median age (years) 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Total population!!AGE!!Under 5 years 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Total population!!SELECTED AGE CATEGORIES!!Under 18 years 100%
    Estimate!!Female!!Total population 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!HOUSEHOLDS!!Total households 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!FAMILIES!!Total families 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!HOUSEHOLDS!!Average household size 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!FAMILIES!!Average family size 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Total households!!HOUSING TENURE!!Renter-occupied housing units 100%
    Estimate!!Households!!Total!!Less than $10,000 100%
    Estimate!!Households!!Total!!$200,000 or more 100%
    Estimate!!Households!!Median income (dollars) 100%
    Estimate!!Households!!Mean income (dollars) 100%
    Estimate!!Families!!Total!!Less than $10,000 100%
    Estimate!!Families!!Total!!$200,000 or more 100%
    Estimate!!Families!!Median income (dollars) 100%
    Estimate!!Families!!Mean income (dollars) 100%
    Estimate!!Percent occupied housing units!!Occupied housing units!!HOUSEHOLD SIZE!!3-person household 100%
    Estimate!!Percent occupied housing units!!Occupied housing units!!HOUSEHOLD SIZE!!4-or-more-person household 100%
    Estimate!!Percent below poverty level!!Population for whom poverty status is determined 100%
    Estimate!!Percent below poverty level!!Population for whom poverty status is determined!!AGE!!Under 18 years 100%
    Estimate!!Percent below poverty level!!Population for whom poverty status is determined!!AGE!!Under 18 years!!Under 5 years 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!NATIVITY AND U.S. CITIZENSHIP STATUS!!Foreign born 98%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN!!Black or African American alone 65%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN!!Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 80%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN!!White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 98%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!DISABILITY STATUS!!With a disability 100%
    Estimate!!Percent Uninsured!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population 100%
    Estimate!!Percent Uninsured!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!AGE!!Under 6 years 100%
    Estimate!!Percent Uninsured!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!AGE!!Under 19 years 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!Kindergarten to 12th grade 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!College, undergraduate 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!Graduate, professional school 100%
    Estimate!!Percent in public school!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!Kindergarten to 12th grade 99%
    Estimate!!Percent in public school!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!College, undergraduate 99%
    Estimate!!Percent in public school!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!Graduate, professional school 99%
    Estimate!!Percent!!AGE BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT!!Population 18 to 24 years!!Bachelor's degree or higher 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!AGE BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT!!Population 25 years and over!!Bachelor's degree or higher 100%
    Estimate!!Labor Force Participation Rate!!Population 16 years and over 97%
    Estimate!!Unemployment rate!!Population 16 years and over 97%
    Estimate!!Total!!Population 16 to 64 years!!Mean usual hours worked for workers 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian employed population 16 years and over 98%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian employed population 16 years and over!!Service occupations: 98%
    Estimate!!Percent households receiving food stamps/SNAP!!Households 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS!!Civilian population 18 years and over for whom poverty status is determined 100%
    Estimate!!Percent Veterans!!Civilian population 18 years and over 100%
Reply
  • As someone new and not into stats etc. I pulled some key measures ACS1 by county and found most had data (not -99999999 ). However, there were some key race measures (Black and Hispanic for example) with a lot of -999999. I think there actually was a state that was missing one or more races for the ACS1.  I think S2701_C01_017E and S2701_C01_023E stood out the most. I assume that the ACS5 will resolve most of these issues at the county and lower levels. I'm going to compare ACS1 and ACS5 for the 900 counties in ACS1 to see what the differences are. I will use around 70 measures. When I'm done, I'll paste the 70 measures ACS1 vs ACS5 in a discussion here (just for reference in case anyone wants to see it). I could also do something with margin or errors, but for all the Public Health websites and more, they just take whatever the data values are without regard to margin of error, so I think I will too. No heavy lifting, just using the published numbers. Not that I could if I tried, not in your league but I'm Ok with that.

    These are a few of the measures and what percent of the 900 counties have data  for ACS1  (not -9999999). So later perhaps 4 columns with percent with data and the actual numbers by diff ACS1 vs ACS5   Top level, no mix and match (by Age by Race, by Poverty)

    Estimate!!Total!!Total population 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Total population!!SELECTED AGE CATEGORIES!!18 years and over 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Total population!!SELECTED AGE CATEGORIES!!65 years and over 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Total population!!SUMMARY INDICATORS!!Median age (years) 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Total population!!AGE!!Under 5 years 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Total population!!SELECTED AGE CATEGORIES!!Under 18 years 100%
    Estimate!!Female!!Total population 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!HOUSEHOLDS!!Total households 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!FAMILIES!!Total families 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!HOUSEHOLDS!!Average household size 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!FAMILIES!!Average family size 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Total households!!HOUSING TENURE!!Renter-occupied housing units 100%
    Estimate!!Households!!Total!!Less than $10,000 100%
    Estimate!!Households!!Total!!$200,000 or more 100%
    Estimate!!Households!!Median income (dollars) 100%
    Estimate!!Households!!Mean income (dollars) 100%
    Estimate!!Families!!Total!!Less than $10,000 100%
    Estimate!!Families!!Total!!$200,000 or more 100%
    Estimate!!Families!!Median income (dollars) 100%
    Estimate!!Families!!Mean income (dollars) 100%
    Estimate!!Percent occupied housing units!!Occupied housing units!!HOUSEHOLD SIZE!!3-person household 100%
    Estimate!!Percent occupied housing units!!Occupied housing units!!HOUSEHOLD SIZE!!4-or-more-person household 100%
    Estimate!!Percent below poverty level!!Population for whom poverty status is determined 100%
    Estimate!!Percent below poverty level!!Population for whom poverty status is determined!!AGE!!Under 18 years 100%
    Estimate!!Percent below poverty level!!Population for whom poverty status is determined!!AGE!!Under 18 years!!Under 5 years 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!NATIVITY AND U.S. CITIZENSHIP STATUS!!Foreign born 98%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN!!Black or African American alone 65%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN!!Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 80%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN!!White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 98%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!DISABILITY STATUS!!With a disability 100%
    Estimate!!Percent Uninsured!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population 100%
    Estimate!!Percent Uninsured!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!AGE!!Under 6 years 100%
    Estimate!!Percent Uninsured!!Civilian noninstitutionalized population!!AGE!!Under 19 years 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!Kindergarten to 12th grade 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!College, undergraduate 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!Graduate, professional school 100%
    Estimate!!Percent in public school!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!Kindergarten to 12th grade 99%
    Estimate!!Percent in public school!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!College, undergraduate 99%
    Estimate!!Percent in public school!!Population 3 years and over enrolled in school!!Graduate, professional school 99%
    Estimate!!Percent!!AGE BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT!!Population 18 to 24 years!!Bachelor's degree or higher 100%
    Estimate!!Percent!!AGE BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT!!Population 25 years and over!!Bachelor's degree or higher 100%
    Estimate!!Labor Force Participation Rate!!Population 16 years and over 97%
    Estimate!!Unemployment rate!!Population 16 years and over 97%
    Estimate!!Total!!Population 16 to 64 years!!Mean usual hours worked for workers 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian employed population 16 years and over 98%
    Estimate!!Total!!Civilian employed population 16 years and over!!Service occupations: 98%
    Estimate!!Percent households receiving food stamps/SNAP!!Households 100%
    Estimate!!Total!!POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS!!Civilian population 18 years and over for whom poverty status is determined 100%
    Estimate!!Percent Veterans!!Civilian population 18 years and over 100%
Children
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