In statistics, a population is the group on which information is being gathered and analyzed. A sample is a representative selection of the population.

In statistics, a representative sample should be an accurate cross-section of the population being sampled. Although the features of the larger sample cannot always be determined with precision ...

This “target” sample serves as a template for what a survey sample would look like if it was randomly selected from the population. In this study, the target samples were selected from our synthetic ...

The ACS began full-scale operation in 2005 covering only the household population; since 2006 it also includes group quarters such as college dormitories and prisons, so it now covers the entire U.S.