Using American community survey data for population estimates

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Abstract
Colleagues conducting local or regional research frequently ask how to find county level or zip code-specific population data such as population size, mean income, or other demographic measures. In studies using patient data, where household income is typically not available, researchers may approximate socioeconomic status using median income for the county, zip code, or Census tract where the patient resides. 1,2,3 A variety of data aggregation websites may provide certain estimates of these data points, although for accuracy, it is far preferable to obtain these data from an original source such as the United States (U.S.) Census Bureau, where documentation about data collection methodology is provided along with the data.