U.S. Census Bureau officials said questions about sexual orientation, gender identity and changes to questions about race and ethnicity are to be included in the Comprehensive American Community Survey by 2027.

The American Community Survey is a comprehensive study that covers various aspects of American life, such as commute time, Internet access, family life, income levels, education, disability, and military service.

The big picture: The survey involves a sample of more than 3.5 million households.

• Changes announced by the federal government earlier this year to how people are classified by race and ethnicity will lead to revised questions.
• The revised race and ethnicity questions will allow respondents to select multiple categories at once, including options such as “Black,” “American Indian,” and “Hispanic.”
• A category for Middle Eastern and North African heritage will also be added to the options.

News Management: Questions about sexual orientation and gender identity were tested in English and Spanish, with sample questionnaires sent to hundreds of thousands of households starting in August.

Go deeper: Testing for in-person interviews is scheduled to begin next spring to assess the impact of question wording and response options.

• Respondents over the age of 15 will be asked about sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Respondents can provide written answers if they do not see themselves in the options provided for sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Gender identity questions include steps to understand respondents’ sex at birth and their current gender, with responses such as male, female, transgender, nonbinary, and an opt-in option available.
• Multiple choice options will be tested in some quizzes.