Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Using Census Data to Document Economic Distress

The Census Bureau just released its 2009 American Community Survey statistics, and included some additional analysis to address public interest in using the data to document the impact of the economic downturn. The agency released seven data briefs that used estimates from the ACS to address topics including poverty, household income, health insurance coverage and use of food stamps or other nutrition benefits.

Much of the media coverage of the 2009 survey estimates focused on the theme of economic distress, including this Washington Post story about child poverty, this New York Times account of the recession’s impact on marriage rates, and this USA Today article about the recession “affecting every aspect of American life.”

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