American Community Survey

Posted on by Jason Sandford

A little-known household survey distributed by the federal government as part of its Decennial Census Program has riled some Asheville residents with its probing questions.

The 27-page document, known as the American Community Survey, is sent to about three million people every year. About 1,400 people in Buncombe County received the survey in 2006, the latest year for which numbers are available, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The survey asks for the name, age, race, date of birth and ethnicity of every person living in the home. It contains questions about the home (“Which FUEL is used MOST for heating this house, apartment, or mobile home?” “How much is the regular monthly mortgage payment on THIS property?”) There are also detailed personal questions about education, work, income and health (“Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?” “How many times has this person been married?”)

Click here to download a PDF of the document.

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