.. Census tract demographics are used in wide-ranging public and private sector applications to examine patterns and characteristics of sub-county areas. Tract level data from Census 2000, Census 2010 and the American Community Survey (ACS) can be used to analyze trade/market areas, neighborhoods and other small area study areas. But what about more current data and trends since 2010? What about business establishment data and other subject matter not included in either the census or ACS data?
There are no current demographic-economic census tract data available from the Census Bureau or other Federal statistical programs. Annually released ACS 5-year estimates are available by census tract but are for 5-year periods and dated. The most recent census tract level ACS data are based on the ACS 2017 5-year estimates (ACS 1317). Those data are not for the year 2017 but estimates for ACS survey respondents for the 5 year period 2013-2017; centric to mid-2015.
Patterns of Median Household Income %Change by Census Tract
The graphic below shows patterns of economic prosperity change based on median household income percent change ACS 2012 to ACS 2017 by tract in the Dallas metro area.
– view developed using ProximityOne CV XE GIS and related GIS project.
Using the Interactive Table
Use the interactive table .. click this link .. to view, query, rank, compare selected characteristics of the population, housing, educational attainment and income for census tracts based on ACS 2012 5-year, and ACS 2017 5-year data. Hundreds of additional items are available. See about related census tract data resources and applications.
Try it yourself ..
Tracts with ACS 2017 population 3,500-4,500 ranked on change in $MHI:
Replicate the following graphic using the interactive table. This view was produced by clicking the Pop17 button below the table to select only tracts with a ACS 2017 population between 3,500 and 4,500. Then the $MHI columns button was clicked to view only selected columns. Finally the qualifying tracts were sorted in descending order by clicking the $MHI Change column header cell.
Based on these estimates, tract 04013105004 in Maricopa County, AZ is top ranked, where the $MHI increased by $97,723 from the ACS 2012 5-year period to the ACS 2017 5-year period.
Corresponding API calls to access the $MHI for this tract (click links to access data):
ACS 2012 $MHI … ACS 2017 $MHI
Join us in an upcoming Data Analytics Web Session (see below) to learn more about using APIs to access these data and similar data.
Access more detailed ACS 2017 tract interactive tables:
General demographics .. Social .. Economic .. Housing
Demographic Analytics Web Sessions
Join me in a Demographics Analytics Lab session to discuss more details about accessing and using wide-ranging demographic-economic data and data analytics. Learn more about using these data for areas and applications of interest.
About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for innovative data access and use operations. He is also the former associate director of the U.S. Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards for data access and use. He has more than 20 years of experience in the private sector developing data resources and tools for integration and analysis of geographic, demographic, economic and business data. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.
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