Frequently Asked Questions

Where do CityMetricsUSA's numbers come from?

Population, income, housing, education and commute figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. Monthly unemployment comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Industry data comes from Census County Business Patterns. Every figure is official U.S. government data — nothing is estimated, modeled or bought from a third party.

Is the American Community Survey the same as the Census?

No. The decennial Census counts everyone every ten years. The ACS is a continuous sample survey that produces detailed social and economic estimates every year. Because it is a sample, every ACS figure carries a margin of error, which is largest for small places.

How current is the data?

ACS 5-year estimates are released once a year and describe a rolling five-year window, so they lag the present by one to two years. The unemployment rate on each state page is updated monthly from BLS. Cost-of-living parities are updated annually.

Why doesn't my town have a page?

We only publish places with at least 1,000 residents. Below that, ACS margins of error are large enough that the rates and percentages we show would be more misleading than useful.

What does a cost-of-living value of 110 mean?

It is the BEA Regional Price Parity: 100 is the national average, so 110 means prices in that state run about 10% above the national average and 90 means about 10% below. Housing is the component that varies most between states.

Is CityMetricsUSA affiliated with the Census Bureau?

No. It is an independent reference site. All data is public-domain U.S. government work; the site is not endorsed by or affiliated with any government agency.

More detail on sources and limitations is on the About the Data page.