Census Bureau Revises Community Survey for White House Review
Published Date: 12/19/2025
Notice
Summary
The Census Bureau is updating the American Community Survey and Puerto Rico Community Survey and wants your feedback by February 17, 2026. These surveys help gather important info about people and communities, so changes aim to make them easier and less time-consuming. If you live in the U.S. or Puerto Rico, these updates could affect how often and what questions you answer, but there’s no new cost to you.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Puerto Rico gets online response option
In 2027 the Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS) will add an internet self-response option for households and people in certain group quarters (college housing, group homes, military barracks, workers' quarters, and emergency/transitional shelters). The PRCS currently samples about 36,000 housing unit addresses in Puerto Rico each year, and the new online option will mirror the ACS online collection method.
Race and ethnicity question updated
The proposed 2027 ACS and PRCS content includes an updated race and ethnicity question that follows OMB's 2024 Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 (SPD 15). The Census will move from using the OMB 1997 SPD 15 standard to the updated 2024 SPD 15 for how race and ethnicity are asked and tabulated.
Survey participation is mandatory with time burden
The ACS/PRCS information collection is mandatory under Title 13 U.S.C., and the average household questionnaire is estimated to take 40 minutes. The Census estimates 3,576,000 household respondents, a total annual respondent count of 3,770,997, and total annual burden hours of 2,455,825; the notice also states the estimated total annual cost to the public is $0.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this federal register document and every other regulation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Take It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in