The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) has released an analytical data report discussing the demographic changes in the Delaware Valley between 2000 and 2006, based on the American Community Survey (ACS). The DVRPC serves the Philadelphia-Camden-Trenton metropolitan area, encompassing parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The ACS is a continuous household survey conducted by the Census Bureau, replacing the traditional decennial Census. It provides annual descriptions of community characteristics, which are used by federal and state agencies for program evaluation and funding allocation. The report highlights the differences between the ACS and the decennial Census, including sample size, question wording, and reference periods, which affect the comparability of data. Despite these differences, the ACS has improved over time, with recent revisions enhancing its reliability. The report includes tables showing changes in population, median age, minority percentages, household income, housing tenure, and commuting patterns. It concludes by emphasizing the benefits and challenges of using the ACS, noting that while it may not provide precise data for small geographies, it offers valuable current socioeconomic information for trend identification and policy planning.The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) has released an analytical data report discussing the demographic changes in the Delaware Valley between 2000 and 2006, based on the American Community Survey (ACS). The DVRPC serves the Philadelphia-Camden-Trenton metropolitan area, encompassing parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The ACS is a continuous household survey conducted by the Census Bureau, replacing the traditional decennial Census. It provides annual descriptions of community characteristics, which are used by federal and state agencies for program evaluation and funding allocation. The report highlights the differences between the ACS and the decennial Census, including sample size, question wording, and reference periods, which affect the comparability of data. Despite these differences, the ACS has improved over time, with recent revisions enhancing its reliability. The report includes tables showing changes in population, median age, minority percentages, household income, housing tenure, and commuting patterns. It concludes by emphasizing the benefits and challenges of using the ACS, noting that while it may not provide precise data for small geographies, it offers valuable current socioeconomic information for trend identification and policy planning.