Examining a Century of County Population Change: 1910-2010

Harris County, Texas (Houston area) increased in population from 115,693 in 1910 to 4,092,459 in 2010. See how the county population changed, decade by decade, using the interactive table in the related Web section.

How have your counties of interest changed in population since 2000? during the past century? Find out … key in a county name of interest using the interactive table shown in this section.

Decade-to-decade population change by county has varied greatly in the last century in many parts of the United States. This section presents U.S. by county map views depicting change by decade based on the decennial census. Use the related interactive table in this section to view, query, rank and compare counties of interest. The interactive table shows the Census 2010 population and the population change by decade for each county.

County Population Change, Houston TX Area

View created using CV XE GIS and related GIS project. Thematic pattern (color fill pattern) shows population change 2000-2010. Bar charts show population change by decade, 1930-2010. Click graphic for larger view and additional details. ProximityOne User Group members ( join now, no fee) may use the software and GIS project to create similar views for any decade. Zoom to an area of interest. Add name, codes, or data values as labels. Add other geography.

County Population Change, 2000-2010

Click graphic for larger view and details.

Visualizing County Population Change by Decade
In the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, much of eastern Texas population declined (pink shaded counties). Those areas have seen strong population growth since then (green shaded counties).
..

See map graphics for each decade in related Web section.

Counties with Most Population Growth, 2000-2010
Graphic shows counties ranked in descending order on rightmost column.

Click graphic for larger view.

Counties with Most Population Loss, 2000-2010
Graphic shows counties ranked in ascending order on rightmost column.

Click graphic for larger view.

Use interactive table in related Web section to select/rank by state; choose alternative decade.

Compute Population for Any Decennial Census
Using the interactive table compute the population for any decennial census date by starting with the Census 2010 population and subtracting gains and adding losses.

Example. Copy the Harris County, TX row to clipboard. Paste into cell A1 of an Excel spreadsheet. Set cell O2 to D2-SUM(E2:N2). The computed total population for Harris County, TX as of the 1910 Census is 115,693.

Related Data
• County Demographic Projections to 2020 with age breakout
• County Demographic Projections to 2060
• County population 1790 to 1990 by decade (xls) — requires User Group ID.
• County Demographics; 2000 & 2010

Support Using these Resources
Learn more about accessing and using ACS data integrated with other data; examine characteristics and patterns for your study areas and applications. Join us in a Decision-Making Information Web session. There is no fee for these one-hour Web sessions. Each informal session is focused on a specific topic. The open structure also provides for Q&A and discussion of application issues of interest to participants.

Demographic State of the States

In 2013, the state median age ranged from 30.2 (Utah) to 44.0 (Maine). The percent population 25 years and over who are college graduates ranged from 18.8% (West Virginia) to 55.1% (District of Columbia). Median household income ranged from $37,963 (Mississippi) to $72,483 (Maryland). These data are examples of data from the “Demographic State of the States 2013” reviewed here and covered in more detail in this Web section.

Use the interactive table in the related Web section to examine selected demographic characteristics of the U.S. and states based 2013 American Community Survey (ACS 2013) 1-year estimates. Query, rank, compare on selected demographic-economic subject matter items. The data in the table, and the table itself, were developed using data access tools available on the ACS 2013 API interactive table. These 2013 data are the most recent estimates (released Septermber 2014) and update with 2014 estimates to be released in the fall 2015.

In just 4 clicks using the related API interactive table, you can access the subject matter items shown in the table below for any area tabulated in the ACS 2013 1-year geography (areas 65,000 population or more). You can build a table similar to the states table for your custom set of geographic areas. Select from geography including regions, divisions, states, counties, county subdivisions/towns, cities/places, Native American areas, metros, congressional districts, school districts.

Patterns of Educational Attainment
Percent College Graduate, 2013, by State

Labels show percent of population 25 years and over who are college graduates
Click graphic for larger view and more detail.
View developed using CV XE GIS software and related GIS project.

Items Included in the Table
Twenty items are included in the table:
Area Name
Total population
Population, White one race alone
Population, Black one race alone
Population, American Indian/Alaska Native one race alone
Population, Asian one race alone
Population, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander one race alone
Population, Some other race alone
Population, Two or more races
Hispanic population (of any race)
Median age (total population)
Total housing units
Occupied housing units/households
Median household income
Percent high school graduate
Percent college graduate
Median housing value
Median gross rent

10 States with Highest Percent College Graduates
Use the interactive table to create ranking such as the one shown below. The righmost column is sorted in descending order based on percent college graduates (of the population 25 years and over).

Support Using these Resources
Learn more about accessing and using ACS data integrated with other data; examine characteristics and patterns for your study areas and applications. Join us in a Decision-Making Information Web session. There is no fee for these one-hour Web sessions. Each informal session is focused on a specific topic. The open structure also provides for Q&A and discussion of application issues of interest to participants.

Easy Access to ACS 2013 Demographics

… 4 clicks away from a demographic profile for your selected area …  the American Community Survey (ACS) 2013 1 year estimates provide the most current demographic-economic data for wide-ranging geography having population 65,000 and over.  These geographies include the U.S., regions, divisions, states, counties, county subdivisions, cities/places, native american areas, metros, congressional districts, school districts, public use microdata areas, among others.

These data provide a unique and rich set of data resources for decision-making. They provides analysts and stakeholders with current information they need to plan investments and services. Retailers, homebuilders, police departments, school districts, and town/city planners are among the many private- and public-sector decision makers who count on these annual results.  These data can be made more powerful by integrating them with other data and visually/geospatially analyzing patterns with GIS and modeling tools.

Accessing the Data
The following steps illustrate how you can access data for areas of interest. We use the example of Scottsdale, AZ.
1 – view the table ACS2013.
2 – below the table, replace San Diego with Scottsdale.
3 – click the Find in Name button to the left of Scottsdale.
4 – table refreshes; click get data link in Scottsdale city row.

A new page displays with selected items retrieved:
Area name: Scottsdale city, Arizona
  Total population: 226,909
  One race alone: White: 200,920
  One race alone: Black: 5,017
  One race alone: AI/AN: 2,008
  One race alone: Asian: 9,298
  One race alone: NHOPI: 44
  Hispanic population: 24,961
  Total housing units: 129,434
  Occupied housing units/households: 99,860
  Median household income: $69,690
  Percent high school graduate: 96.7
  Percent college graduate: 54.2
  Median housing value: $382,300
  Median gross rent: $1,134

Optionally import the displayed data into a spreadsheet. Retrieve data for other areas of interest and easily compare attributes for multiple areas.

See details on the main web page — http://proximityone.com/acs2013.htm.

Support Using these Resources
Learn more about accessing and using ACS data integrated with other data; examine characteristics and patterns for your study areas and applications. Join us in a Decision-Making Information Web session. There is no fee for these one-hour Web sessions. Each informal session is focused on a specific topic. The open structure also provides for Q&A and discussion of application issues of interest to participants.

Computer & Internet Usage Patterns

.. new data resources on computer and Internet usage .. mandated by the 2008 Broadband Data Improvement Act, questions on computer and Internet usage are included in the American Community Survey 2013 for the first time. Initially computer and Internet usage data will be available from the ACS 2013 1-year estimates (September 2014). These estimates are available for areas 65,000 population and over — the September 2014 data are tabulated for the U.S. and all states, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs), and 113th Congressional Districts as well as large cities, counties and school districts. See related Web section for more detail.

Questions; Scope of Analytical Potential … scroll section
The ACS data are based on two questions on the ACS questionnaire:

Applications
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will use these data to measure the nationwide development of broadband access, as well as the successful deployment of the next generation of broadband technology. The data will also enable the FCC to develop measures to increase access to broadband technology and decrease barriers. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will use the data to provide grants that help expand public access to broadband service and fund broadband education and support, particularly to groups that have traditionally underutilized broadband technology.

State and local governments can use the data to evaluate access to broadband in their communities, and institute policies and programs that increase access to areas with less connectivity.

Businesses, investors and other organizations can use the data to analyze computer and Internet usage in their markets and communities. Knowing how many people have access to computers and the Internet helps these groups communicate more effectively with their customers and plan outreach, infrastructure development, ecommerce and more. University researchers and other analysts have a wide range of new ways to examine the how, who and where of computer and Internet usage.

Summary Data Available
There are many new summary statistic tables based on the new questions.
B28001 .. Types of Computers in Household
B28002 .. Presence and Types of Internet Subscriptions in Household
B28003 .. Presence of a Computer and Type of Internet Subscription in Household
B28004 .. Household Income in the Last 12 Months by Presence and Type of Internet Subscription in Household
B28005 .. Age by Presence of a Computer and Types of Internet Subscription in Household
B28006 .. Educational Attainment by Presence of a Computer and Types of Internet Subscription in Household
B28007 .. Labor Force Status by Presence of a Computer and Types of Internet Subscription in Household
B28008 .. Presence of a Computer and Type of Internet Subscription in Household
B28009A-I .. Presence of a Computer and Type of Internet Subscription in Household (By Race and Hispanic Origin)

Related items are included in the Public Use Microdata Sample files and create many new possibilities to develop custom estimates of computer & Internet usage crossed by other population and housing attributes.

Related Data
The report Computer and Internet Use (May 2013) provides household and individual level analysis of computer usage and Internet use. The report is based on data collected in a July 2011 supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), which includes questions about computer ownership, Internet use both inside and outside the home, and the additional devices that people use to go online. The U.S. Census Bureau has asked questions in the CPS about computer use since 1984 and Internet use since 1997. The report provides limited scope state-level data and no sub-state data.

Support Using these Resources
Learn more about accessing and using ACS data integrated with other data; examine characteristics and patterns for your study areas and applications. Join us in a Decision-Making Information Web session. There is no fee for these one-hour Web sessions. Each informal session is focused on a specific topic. The open structure also provides for Q&A and discussion of application issues of interest to participants.

Extracting Shapefile Geometry & Google Maps

Geography, and geographic data, play an indispensable role in the development and use of decision-making information. Almost all business, demographic and economic data relate to location(s) or area(s).

The Census Bureau TIGER/Line data, predominately made available for public use as shapefiles, are equally or more valuable than the Census Bureau demographic-economic data. These geographic data are the source for almost all online map services now in existence. The Census Bureau releases thousands of public use shapefiles annually that reflect changing geography — changes to political and statistical boundaries and changes to roads and earth surface geographic attributes. Use the Shp2XML software to extract shapefile geometry and output those data to XML-structured file.

Shapefile Geometry as XML File with Google Maps API
Integrate the shapefile geometry into a Google Maps API application.

Click graphic to view as dynamic Google map.

Shapefile Geometry
Shapefiles do not contain the geometry coordinates in the shapefile DBF. The geometry coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude of vertices) are not directly viewable or extractable without specialized software. Many applications require coordinates only available in shapefiles. For example, an XML file with coordinates can be used as a polyline or marker file with Bing or Google maps. The coordinates list can be processed by wide-ranging geospatial applications.

Extracting Shapefile Embedded Geometry
Use the Shp2XML software to extract shapefile geometry and output those data to XML-structured file. Shp2XML generates an XML file (text file) that contains the coordinates of the each shape in the user selected shapefile (or a subset of shapes in the shapefile if a query is applied). Optionally save the XML file in XLS format.

Using Shp2XML — an example of exporting census tract boundaries
The Shp2XML start-up view is shown in the following graphic. The map view shows Washington, DC by Census 2010 census tracts. The view is based on the shapefile (cb_2013_11_tract_500k.shp) included with the installer,

Click graphic for larger view
User controls and legend panel are shown to the left of the map view panel. The XML file generated is shown to the right of the map view.

Using Shp2XML — an example of exporting roads/line segment geometry
The following view shows Washington, DC by ZIP Code area (ZCTA) and all roads/edges shapefiles as layers. The view uses the shapefile ZCTA shapefile (cb_2013_11_tract_500k.shp) and the EDGES shapefile (tl_2010_11_zcta510.shp) both included with the installer.

Click graphic for larger view
This view was developed using these steps:
• Use File>Open Shapefile to open the ZCTA shapefile.
• Use Add Shapefile (+ button at top of left panel) to add the EDGES shapefile.
• Modify attributes of the ZCTA layer to set as transparent/red boundary with ZIP Code as label.
• Add the query “roadflg=’Y’ and ZIPL=’20010′” (this results in only meeting roads this criteria to be exported.
• Select a field to be used as NAME (NAME) and field to be used as CODE (TLID) using list boxes.
• Click the Shp2Xml Convert button.

Installing and Using Shp2XML
Shp2XML Level 1 is available at no fee to members of the ProximityOne User Group (no fee, join now).

See more information about installing and using Shp2XML.

Examining Neighborhood Diversity Patterns

Population race/ethnic diversity varies widely by neighborhood in the United States. This section reviews use of tools that you can use to examine patterns of neighborhood race/ethnic diversity for anywhere in the United States. There are many types of neighborhood diversity (economic, age, etc.); we examine just one here — diversity based on race/ethnicity. Using the tools and resources described in this section, you can also examine many other types of neighborhood diversity, or simply sub-county demographic-economic characteristics.

Dallas, TX Area Diversity Patterns by Neighborhood/Census Tract
Census tracts are colored based on value of the diversity index. See color patterns assigned based on diversity index values as shown in legend at left of the map. Blue tracts are most diverse; red tracts are least diverse. Tracts shown with black cross-hatched pattern are tracts with 50-percent or more Hispanic population.

Click graphic for larger view.

Click Link to View Neighborhood Diversity Patterns for Selected Metro Areas:
  • Atlanta, GA
  • Austin, TX
  • Charlotte, NC
  • Chicago, IL
  • Houston, TX
  • Los Angeles, TX
  • New York, NY
  • San Diego, CA
  • Washington, DC

Neighborhood Diversity Index
The diversity index measures the degree of racial and ethnic diversity of the population. The percentage of each race (White, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian) and Hispanic origin/ethnicity are used to calculate the chance that any two people are from different groups. The index ranges from 0 (no diversity) to 100 (highest diversity). The diversity index is computed for each census tract using data from Census 2010 Summary File 1 Table P5.

Variation in Neighborhood Diversity
Census tract 06001437701 in Alameda County, CA has the highest diversity index (88). Of the approximate 73,000 census tracts, there are more than 800 tracts with a diversity index above 80 (highly diverse). There are more than 8,000 tracts with a diversity index below 10 (little diversity).

Visual Patterns of Neighborhood Diversity
We illustrate use of CV XE GIS with associated GIS project to visually examine patterns of diversity by census tract. We extracted the Census 2010 Table 5 data using the Demographic Economic Data Extraction API tool and then integrated those data into a U.S. by census tract shapefile. See more about the GIS project.

Relating Visual to Tabular Data
The graphic below shows diversity patterns by census tract in the Alexandria, VA area. The view of Alexandria shows census tracts with black boundary and labeled with the diversity index.

Illustrative Table P5 Mini-Profile
Census 2010 Summary File 1 Table P5 items for census tract 51-510-200900 are shown in the table below. Table P5 contains 17 data items for each tract, P0050001 through P0050017. As shown here, the total Census 2010 population of this tract was 4,693. The total non-Hispanic population was 4,534. The relatively low size of the Hispanic population suggests that this tract will have less diversity than others.

Using the GIS Resources
The Geographic Information System GIS project/files and software used to develop views shown in this section are available at no fee to members of the ProximityOne User Group. Zoom to you own areas of interest. Change labeling/colors/appearance. Add other geography. Select from other wide-ranging demographic-economic data. Join now; no fees to participate.

See more about analyzing neighborhood diversity patterns in this related Web section.

Census Tract, Block Group & Block Geography

Census tracts, block groups and blocks are the important small area statistical geographic areas for which data from Census 2010 are tabulated. Data for census tracts and block groups are now tabulated annually from the American Community Survey. For example. in December 2014, we will have new “richer demographics” annual estimates centric to each year 2008 through 2011 for Census 2010 tracts and block groups … data such as educational attainment, median household income and median housing value.

These areas cover the U.S. from wall-to-wall and generally non-changing in terms of boundary and geographic code (geocode) until Census 2020. This section provides a summary of new Web pages with more detail about each of these geographies:
• census tracts and tract codes
• census block groups and block group codes
• census blocks and block codes

Each of these pages provides an interactive table to view tallies of Census 2010 for each of these small area geographies.

Combining Address Data with Small Area Geography
The address of the Office of the California Secretary of State, located at 1500 11th St, Sacramento, CA 95814, was geocoded using the APIGeocoder and converted into a shapefile for Geographic Information System applications.  The location is shown as a red marker in the map views shown below, illustrating each type of small area geography: tracts. block groups and blocks.

Census Tracts
Tracts are labeled with green tract codes. Address 1500 11th St, Sacramento, CA 95814 is shown by red marker.  The address is in tract 06067001101.

View created using CV XE GIS.

Block Groups
Block groups are labeled with red block group codes.  Tract 06067001101 is comprised of block groups: 060670011011 and 060670011012.  See pointer in map view; the block group within tract boundary.

View created using CV XE GIS.

Zoom-in to Census Block
Blocks are labeled with yellow block codes. The address is located in block 060670011011085.

View created using CV XE GIS.

Further Zoom-in Showing Streets
Streets are labeled with street names. Identify tool is used to show mini-profile for 1500 block of 11th Street.

View created using CV XE GIS.

Is the tract code 11.01 or 001101?
Both. Census tracts within a county are identified by a 4-digit basic code between 0001 and 9999, and may have a 2-digit suffix ranging from .01 to .98; for example, 6059.02. The decimal point separating the 4-digit basic tract code from the 2-digit suffix is shown in Census Bureau printed reports and maps. For geo-referencing, the decimal point is implied and does not appear; the 6-character tract code with lead zeroes is used — a character string with no blanks and all numbers.

Decision-Making Information Web Sessions
Learn more about using resources described in this section. Join us in a Decision-Making Information Web session. There is no fee for these one-hour Web sessions. Each informal session is focused on a specific topic. The open structure also provides for Q&A and discussion of application issues of interest to participants. We can address your specific questions about tools to visually analyze patterns.