Data.census.gov is the Census Bureau’s primary tool for accessing social, economic, housing, and demographic data from the ACS. For tutorials and other how-to materials on data.census.gov, visit the Census Bureau’s website. The Census Bureau’s ACS website is a comprehensive source of information about the ACS and the different ways to access the data. The ACS Online Community also includes a Resources page with links to several key Census Bureau and external resources on the ACS.

The Census Bureau does not produce population data at the ZIP Code level, but rather ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs), which are generalized representations of U.S. Postal Service ZIP Code service areas. The Census Bureau produced a short video that explains how ZCTAs differ from ZIP Codes. Discussion Forum threads on ACS data for ZIP Codes

Information about the new ACS Summary File format is available on the Census Bureau’s website. Discussion Forum threads on the ACS Summary File

The coronavirus pandemic severely America’s data infrastructure—including the ACS. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ACS data collection in 2020, the Census Bureau released a series of experimental estimates from the ACS 1-year data. However, after revising its methodology to reduce nonresponse bias in data collected in 2020, the Census Bureau determined the ACS 5-year estimates were fit for public release. Discussion Forum threads on the effects of COVID-19 on the ACS

The ACS is a household survey and does not include information about business establishments, but Census Business Builder provides selected demographic and economic data from the ACS and other sources for small business owners, chambers of commerce, and regional planning staff. Discussion Forum threads on business data