Why Do We Use 5-Year Estimates for American Community Survey (ACS) Data?

IP3 ASSESS uses 5-year estimates for data from the American Community Survey to provide the richest and most reliable/stable available data at the finest granularity. These estimates are considered more reliable because they are based on observations made over a longer time, which allows for greater statistical stability. The 5-year estimates also provide the maximum available dataset for the ACS, unlike 1-year or 3-year datasets, which lack detailed breakouts, especially for smaller populations. Additionally, 5-year estimates are the only option that allows for detailed analysis at the census tract level, providing localized insights.