The New Urban Geography

.. the nation’s urban population increased by 6.4% between 2010 and 2020 based on 2020 Census data and a change in the way urban areas are defined. As a result of these changes, 1,140 areas containing approximately 4.2 million people, classified as urban in 2010 are now rural. See more about the 2020 urban/rural geography/population. See more about the urban population.

Patterns of the New Urban Geography

click graphic for larger view

As of 2020, there are 2,613 Urban Areas in the U.S. with a combined Census 2020 population of 265,149,027 (80%). The remaining area is defined as rural with Census 2020 population of 66,300,254 (20%).
  • Use this interactive table to view, sort urban areas.
  • Use this interactive table to view, sort states by 2010/2020 urban/rural.

These Federal designated urban areas are comprised of densely settled core of census blocks that meet minimum housing unit density and/or population density requirements. This includes adjacent territory containing non-residential urban land uses. To qualify as an urban area, the territory identified according to criteria must encompass at least 2,000 housing units or a population of at least 5,000. Rural encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within urban areas.

Importance of Urban/Rural Designations
Data users and researchers interested in analyzing data for urban and rural population and housing use urban area geostatistical data routinely updated by statistical agencies. Analysts use urban area data to study patterns of urbanization, suburban growth and development, and urban/rural land area change.

Larger Urban Areas form the nucleus of Core-Based Statistical Areas (metros). Many metro areas (one or more contiguous counties) contain large rural areas even though some consider metros as large cities. Importantly, they are not the same.

Various federal and state agencies use urban and rural definitions as the basis for their own urban and rural definitions and settlement classifications for use in tabulating and presenting statistical data. The National Center for Education Statistics uses the urban area definitions in its locale codes classification. The U.S. Department of Agriculture uses the urban area classification as the basis for various urban and rural classifications used to analyze and report on demographic and economic patterns in rural areas.

Other government agencies use Urban Area designations to determine program eligibility and in their funding formulas. The Federal Highways Administration uses urban areas of 50,000 or more population to establish Metropolitan Planning Organizations. For rural health programs, a clinic qualifies as a rural health clinic if it is located outside the boundaries of any urban area.

GeoSpatial Analysis of New Urban Geography
Use the VDA Web GIS to examine urban/rural area geographic, demographic and economic make-up and in context of other geography and subject matter.

Urban Areas in the Houston, TX Region

click graphic for larger view

About VDA GIS
VDA Web GIS is a decision-making information resource designed to help stakeholders create and apply insight. Use VDA Web GIS with only a Web browser; nothing to install; GIS experience not required. VDA Web GIS has been developed and is maintained by Warren Glimpse, ProximityOne (Alexandria, VA) and Takashi Hamilton, Tsukasa Consulting (Osaka, Japan).

About the Author
Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for national scope statistical programs and 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. Join Warren on LinkedIn.

Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities in Path of Hurricane Ian

.. 25.8 million U.S. households had a head of household age 65 years or over in 2010; 22.1% of total households. 3.1 million households with head of household 65 years or over were located in 10,201 “naturally occurring retirement communities” (NORCs) — areas where the percent of head of household age 65 or over is 40 percent or more. Has the number of NORCs tripled by now? Where and how much .. a next blog.

Here, we review Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities in the Path of Hurricane Ian by block group (BGs) in Lee County, FL … using VDA Web GIS. The same process can be applied to any area.

The following view shows a map view of the BGs meeting the criteria. A partial list of the BGs are shown in the table below the map. In the graphic, BGs meeting the criteria show with blue cross-hatch. Zoom in, label, get a profile if viewing real-time. In the graphic, for example, BG 120710019151 (state 12, county 171, tract 001951, BG code 1) has a total Census 2020 population of 2,061.

Step-by-Step Guide
See this VDA Web GIS tutorial showing how to develop a similar view for areas of interest.

About VDA Web GIS
VDA Web GIS is a decision-making information resource designed to help stakeholders create and apply insight. VDA Web GIS has been developed and is maintained by Warren Glimpse, ProximityOne (Alexandria, VA) and Takashi Hamilton, Tsukasa Consulting (Osaka, Japan).

About the Author
Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for national scope statistical programs and 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. Join Warren on LinkedIn.

Majority-Minority Population by Census Tract

.. based on the Census Bureau’s assessment of Census 2020 results, the most prevalent racial or ethnic group for the United States was the White alone non-Hispanic population at 57.8%. This decreased from 63.7% in 2010. This trend will continue into the future. Over time, interest has grown in majority-minority areas ranging from congressional districts to neighborhoods. Of the 85,190 Census 2020 census tracts, 28,317 tracts were majority-minority based on Census 2020 demographics. Decision-making information using VDA Web GIS .. examining lending institution assessment areas .. see below.
.. of the 1,113 Census 2020 census tracts in Harris County, TX (Houston), 549 tracts are majority-minority tracts based on Census 2020 data. Minority-majority areas are those areas where the resident population is less than 50% non-Hispanic whites. Use tools and methods described in this section to analyze the majority-minority patterns in your census tracts, neigborhoods, areas of interest.
Patterns of Majority-Minority Population in Harris County, TX
The following view shows patterns of Census 2020 percent majority-minority population by Census 2020 census tract in the Houston area.
This view was developed using the VDA Web GIS. You can create a similar for areas of interest. Only a Web browser is needed. In this view, the tracts layer is selected as the “active layer” and a census tract is clicked in the map window. The tract highlights with a blue hatch pattern and a profile is shown in the lower left panel. See that this tract has a Census 2020 total population of 5,380 (TotPop) and White alone, non-Hispanic population (White1NH) of 131. Use the VDA Table/Query feature to examine tracts in a spreadsheet/grid.
Majority-Minority Population by Tract Interactive Table
The following view illustrates use of the VDA Table/Query feature to examine and query the majority-minority population by tract.

This SQL statement is used to select, compute and show the data in a tabular form by tract.
select uid, geoid, totpop, white1nh, 100*(totpop-white1nh)/totpop where totpop>0 and geoid like ‘48201%’
The percent majority-minority is computed “on the fly”.
The table is ranked by on this sort instruction:
100*(totpop-white1nh)/totpop desc
The resulting table shows tracts as rows with the highest percent majort-minority at the top. A larger population tract is selected by clicking on it in the grid. The tract 48-201-331700 is selected in the table; that tract is zoomed-to in the map, and the demographics are shown in the profile (TotPop 4,045, White1NH 29).
Examining Majority-Minority Tract Patterns in Context of Lending/Mortgages
Majority-minority census tracts relates to banks/lenders and the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The following graphic developed using VDA Web GIS, shows locations of a California bank in context of patterns of percent majority-minority tracts. It is easy to see how bank locations relate to patterns of majority-minority tracts. Lenders and stakeholders are enabled to analyze patterns and gain insights. See more about adding/using the national FDIC bank locations data to VDA Web GIS to perform more in-depth analysis.

Using VDA GeoSelect Tool to Examine Assessment/Service Areas
The following graphic illustrates use of the VDA GeoSelect tool to select tracts around a bank location to evaluate demographic characteristics of an area .. an assessment area or service area. As tracts are selected they are shown with a hatch pattern. The Profile panel, lower left, is dynamically updated to show aggregated demographics for the set of tracts selected including total population and race/origin details.

Using the Visual Data Analytics (VDA) Web GIS
Learn more about VDA.
Sign-in to to VDA using browser, nothing to install.
Select the “Base — Majority-Minority Tracts” GIS Project.
The opening view shows majority-minority tract patterns, similar to the above graphic/view.

Learn more — Join me in the Data Analytics Web Sessions
Join me in a Accessing & Using GeoDemographics Web Session where we discuss topics relating to measuring and interpreting the where, what, when, how and how much demographic-economic change is occurring and it’s impact.

About the Author
Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for national scope statistical programs and 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. Warren Glimpse/ProximityOne/Alexandria, VA USA and Takashi Hamilton/Tsukasa/Osaka, Japan are co-developers of VDA. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.

Arizona’s Shifting Demographics

.. part of a state-by-state series .. these periodic posts examine how and why the state and its counties changed bwteen 2010 and 2020. Later posts will provide more of a drill-down look at change. Click the Follow link at right to receive new and updated information.

Census 2020 Arizona Demographics
The Arizona July 1, 2020 Census model-based population estimate of 7,421,401 compares to the Census 2020 population count of 7,151,502 people. The difference of -269,899 between the 2020 estimate and the 2020 count can be explained by several factors. First, the estimate is for a point in time that is three months later that the Census. There will be a tendency of the Census Bureau to adjust the Joly 1, 2020 population estimate to conform to the Census 2020 value. The July 1, 2020 estimate will likely be adjusted to reflect this change when the July 1, 2021 estimates are released April/May of 2022.

The 2020 population estimate is determined using a component method. The 2020 population estimate is the sum of the 2019 population estimate (7,291,843 for Arizona) and each of the following for the period July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 …
plus births (AZ 81,451)
less deaths (AZ 66,385)
plus international migration (AZ 9,272)
plus domestic migration (AZ 105,435)
plus an estimation residual (AZ -214)

Any one or a combination of these 6 estimate based values could be wrong, or the Census 2020 value could be wrong. It is likely a combination of all of these factors.

The remainder of this section is based on Census Bureau model-based estimates, released April 26, 2021. See more about these data for all U.S. counties in the Demographics 2060 section where Arizona demographic projections can be examined.

Visualizing Arizona Demographic Change
The following graphic illustrates how Arizona county demographics have changed from 2010 to 2020. The labels show the actual percent change; the color patterns, as shown in the legend, provide a visual thematic pattern view.

Examining the How and Why of Demographic Change
The following table shows a row for the state and each county, providing more detail as to the where, what/how much, how and why demographic change has occurred from 2010 to 2020.

Click graphic for larger view.

Looking Ahead
More geographically detailed data (counties for example) based Census 2020 (August 2021) will reveal much starker percentage differences between the 2020 estimates versus Census results. The ProximityOne annual estimates and projections to 2060 are developed using two basic series (and variation among those (low, base, high): Census 2020 based series and 2020 estimates series. See http://proximityone.com/demographics2060 for details.

Learn more — Join me in the Data Analytics Web Sessions
Join me in a Accessing & Using GeoDemographics Web Session where we discuss topics relating to measuring and interpreting the where, what, when, how and how much demographic-economic change is occurring and it’s impact.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for national scope statistical programs and 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.

Census 2020 – First Results

.. the first results of Census 2020, the apportionment data, were released on April 26, 2021.  Based on the decennial census, the United States total resident population increased from 308,745,538 (2010) to 331,449,281 (2020), a change of 22,703,743 (7.3%). For now, these data should be trusted and assumed accurate.  The apportionment data provide only total population counts at the state level.  More will be revealed about the accuracy of these data when the redistricting data are released in August 2021.

Apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives
Congressional apportionment is the process of dividing the 435 members, or seats, in the House of Representatives among the 50 states based on the population data from the decennial census. See more about congressional districts and demographic-economic characteristics. See this related web section for detailed information on apportionment. Use the interactive table to view/analyze the Census 2010 and Census 2020 apportionment data. The following view shows patterns of congressional seats based on the decennial census. Labels show the number of seats based on the 2020 Census. Color patterns show the change in seats, 2010 to 2020.

Census 2020: the Process & Challenges
Counting the total population and selected population attributes in a pandemic is not only challenging but not possible.  During 2020, as the data were collected, it seemed good news that more than two-thirds of the potential respondents had completed the questionnaire.  But then the questions set in.  Bureau public announcements frequently made reference to the number or housing units and the number of households (occupied housing units) “accounted for” reaching 90 percent and progressively more.  By observation, using administrative record data, and other methods, housing units can be much more easily counted than the population and population attributes.  Likewise, determining the number households is  easier than determining the population count and characteristics.

The fact that the state population counts were unexpectedly different from the Bureau’s model based estimates is troubling.  We seek more assurance that the count of  population and population characteristics — by location — are as represented by the apportionment data.

Census Bureau 2020 Model-Based Estimates
New Census Bureau sourced U.S. by county model-based population estimates by age/gender/race-origin as of July 1, 2020 will be released by the Bureau in May 2021.  These estimates are independent of Census 2020 and make use of methods used annually throughout the 2010-2020 period.  An upcoming blog will report on ProximityOne’s analysis of these estimates in comparison with the Census 2020 data.

ProximityOne Estimates & Projections to 2060
ProximityOne annual demographic estimates and projections 2010-2060 by county will begin a new update cycle in May 2021.  The schedule is shown here.  

Starting with the May updates, two base projection series will be developed and progressively updated: one controlled to the Census 2020 data and one based on continued use of 2020 model-based estimates. As more information is released from Census 2020. Follow this blog for more information on evolving developments.

Learn more — Join me in the Data Analytics Web Sessions
Join me in a Accessing & Using GeoDemographics Web Session where we discuss topics relating to measuring and interpreting the where, what, when, how and how much demographic-economic change is occurring and it’s impact.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for national scope statistical programs and 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.

New Monthly Residential Construction

.. staying ahead of how and where demographics are changing. Among all monthly new authorized residential construction permit issuing cities/places, Raleigh, NC led the U.S. with 1,749 total units followed by Austin, TX with 1,563 total units in February 2021. See more about this leading economic indicator for cities/places using interactive table below. Data on housing patterns and trends are essential for wide-ranging decision-making applications. Using ProximityOne resources to examine housing characteristics and trends ..

We post monthly and more frequent updates on what New Authorized Residential Construction data are telling us. The March 2021 city/county data will be released this week. Access the latest data for your areas of interest. Click the Follow button at right to keep up-to-date.

Monthly New Authorized Residential Construction
ProximityOne maintains a national monthly time-series database providing access to new authorized residential construction data.  The table presented below summaries key subject matter items available at the city and county level.. These data are one of eleven leading economic indicators. The housing market is often one of the first economic sectors to expand or contract when economic conditions improve or decline. With only a one month lag from reference data to availability date, these measures are early indicators of housing market change. This change typically leads to other types of economic change.

Patterns of New Residential Construction: February 2021; Phoenix Area
Using GIS tools to examine new authorized residential construction .. as an example, the following graphic shows that the City of Phoenix had 1,373 new authorized total units in February 2021. Cities/places shown with black outline.

View Most Month in Tabular Form
Use the interactive table to view these data in a tabular form as shown below.

Scope of Subject Matter
The database is updated monthly and contains monthly and annual data. The scope of subject matter is illustrated as shown below — the number of new units authorized and value by type of structure for Fresno County, CA.

Learn more — Join me in the Data Analytics Web Sessions
Join me in a Accessing & Using GeoDemographics Web Session where we discuss topics relating to measuring and interpreting the where, what, when, how and how much demographic-economic change is occurring and it’s impact.

About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for national scope statistical programs and 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.

Census 2020 Residential Address Counts by Block

.. using Census 2020 residential address count data to examine change since 2010 .. the Census Bureau has released preliminary Census 2020 residential address counts by Census 2010 census block. These data, count of residential addresses and group quarters addresses, reflect updates as of October 2019 and do not represent final Census 2020 counts. The data will continue to be updated to support Census 2020. See related Web section with more detail and updates.

Importance and Use
These data are of immediate value in determining and analyzing how the number of housing units have changed, 2010 to 2019. Since the data are at the census block level, they may be aggregated to any other Census-defined summary level/type of geographic area such as block group, tract, ZIP code, city, county, school district, etc. These data are also important as they give us a “year in advance look” at how small area demographics are changing since 2010. Before this, the most recent census block data were from Census 2010. A lot has happened in many areas. These data provide insights into that change. The Census 2020 block level data will be released in early 2021 for Census 2020 census block geography. So, another important feature of these data is that they are summarized for Census 2010 census block boundaries. Census 2010 and 2020 block boundaries may differ, particularly in areas experiencing larger demographic growth/change. An important limitation is that they are counts, subject to change as the Census data are collected/tabulated.

Comparing Census 2010 Housing Units with Census 2020 Address Counts
The following graphic shows patterns of Census 2010 housing counts with the Census 2020 (late 2019 vintage) residential address counts by census block. This view is focused on census tract 3608100700 (tract 000700) in Queens County, NY (code shown near center of graphic). Individual blocks are labeled with block code (4 digits) with the Census 2010 housing units (yellow label) and Census 2020 residential address count (green label) shown below the block code. As an example, the block located at the pointer has block code 3006 (or full national scope unique block code 36-081-00700-3006) with a Census 2010 count 44 housing units and a Census 2020 (late 2019 count) of 232 residential addresses. Click graphic for larger view. Expand browser window to full screen for best quality view.

.. view created with ProximityOne CV XE GIS software and related GIS project.

More About Using these Data
We have summarized these data at the census tract level and are evaluating their use, in combination with other data, to develop current estimates and projections to 2025.

Data 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.

Visualizing Metro Area Geography

.. metropolitan areas are referred to as CBSAs (Core-Based Statistical Areas) and formally defined as sets of contiguous counties for the Federal Statistical System by OMB based largely on Census Bureau data.  More than 93-percent of the U.S. population live in CBSAs. This post presents three map graphics showing the geographic configuration of CBSAs and related CSAs (Combined Statistical Areas) — groupings of contiguous CBSAs that meet certain criteria. See related Web section for more detail.

The graphics below use the September 2018 CBSA vintage, the current and likely to be used for Census 2020 tabulations. These CBSAs are comprised of 392 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), 384 MSAs in the U.S. and 8 in Puerto Rico, and 546 Micropolitan Statistical Areas (MISAs), 542 in the U.S. and 4 in Puerto Rico. For those MSAs that qualify, 11 MSAs are subdivided into 31 Metropolitan Divisions (MDs).

Metro Demographic-Economic Insights. What are the demographic characteristics of metros, how are they changing? We have developed annual population and population components of change estimates for the September 2018 vintage CBSAs.  Access these data in this interactive table. View CBSA county components. These data are integrated with other data to develop wide-ranging demographic-economic current estimates and projections for CBSAs and other geography (Situation & Outlook).

Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Sep 2018 Vintage
The following graphic shows the 2018 vintage Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). Use the associated GIS project to examine different years or subject matter items. Click graphic for larger view showing combined MSAs and MISAs.
Expand browser window for best quality view.


.. view developed with ProximityOne CV XE GIS and related GIS project.
.. create other views, geospatially analyze your data with associated GIS project.

Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Sep 2018 Vintage
The following graphic shows the 2018 vintage Micropolitan Statistical Areas (MISAs). Use the associated GIS project to examine different years or subject matter items. Click graphic for larger view showing combined MSAs and MISAs. Expand browser window for best quality view.


.. view developed with ProximityOne CV XE GIS and related GIS project.
.. create other views, geospatially analyze your data with associated GIS project.

Combined Statistical Areas, Sep 2018 Vintage
The following graphic shows the 2018 vintage Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs).
CSAs are contiguous CBSAs that are combined to form a CSA when certain conditions are met. Use the associated GIS project to examine different years or subject matter items. Click graphic for larger view showing CSAs with county overlay (visually determining which counties are in a CSA). Expand browser window for best quality view.


.. view developed with ProximityOne CV XE GIS and related GIS project.
.. create other views, geospatially analyze your data with associated GIS project.

DemographicEconomic 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.

State of the States: 2019

.. the State of the States reports and information service provide insights into demographic, economic & business characteristics.  Unique in their composition,  updated daily/weekly, the reports summarize what’s changing where & when and assessing what’s ahead. It organizes disparate Federal statistical data and presents those data in an organized, consumable manner. A resource to help determine how change might affect you, it is an indispensable resource for investors, leaders, policymakers, researchers and decision-makers. See State of the States main section for more information.  Your briefing notes, organized by state.

Some details .. the U.S. economy is slowing, dragged down by trade tensions and weak growth overseas. But there are few signs that the decade-long expansion is on the verge of stalling out. Real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP), the broadest measure of goods and services produced in the economy, rose at a 2.1 percent annual rate in 2019Q2, down from 3.1 percent in 2019Q1, according to preliminary data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on 7/26/19.

But what about the states, and what about related measures? In Texas, the 2019Q1 change from 2018Q4 was 5.1 percent annual rate. Texas ranked 2nd among all states. The 2019Q2 state GDP will be posted in section 6.5 on Nov. 7, 2019 (see in scheduled updates). How does Texas compare to other states and the U.S.  Answers are organized in the reports.  Create insights. Share with others.

Part of a multi-dimensional information resource, the state of the states report has been derived from the Situation & Outlook (S&O) database, updated daily. ProximityOne uses the historical S&O database to develop current demographic-economic estimate and projections.

View the U.S. or a State Report .. click a link
.. illustrative reports .. see more about report structure & options in report.
United States
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin

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.

Census 2020 P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data Updates

.. we are just two years away from the first census block level data from Census 2020.  The initial block level data will be the P.L. 94-171 redistricting data.  But before that, the initial Census 2020 TIGER/Line shapefiles/GIS files, the geography, will become available in November 2020, maybe earlier.  Stakeholders will be able to see how block and tract codes and geography have changed in many areas since 2010.  The prototype P.L. 94-171 data (see final file layout and subject matter items) are expected in the last week of March 2019 and will cover the Providence County, RI area. This post shows illustrative views and related details about the area. The Census 2020 P.L. 94-171 program and plans are reviewed in this Federal Register notice.

The applications/views shown below have been developed using the ProximityOne CV XE GIS software and related GIS project.

Census 2020 Data Access and Use Program
ProximityOne operates a comprehensive Census 2020 Data Access and Use Program providing tools to integrate and analyze these data with other data for redistricting, planning, evaluation, management, general analysis and policy-related applications. Contact us for more information; mention Census 2020 Data Access and Use Program in text section.

Providence, RI Census 2020 P.L. 94-171 Prototype
The Census 2020 P.L. 94-171 prototype covers Providence County, RI, part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA MSA (39300) — see Situation& Outlook report. Providence County is shown with cross-hatch pattern in the following graphic.

The next graphic shows a zoom-in to the county with cities/places shown with green fill pattern.

The next graphic shows patterns of economic prosperity for the county based on ACS 2017 median household income by census tract — blue, higher and red, lower.

The next graphic shows Census 2010 blocks for the county. Demographics described in the P.L. 94-171 file described about will be provided at the census block level.

Census block boundaries are primarily defined by roads. Providence County roads are shown in the next view.

The next view shows a zoom-in to the downtown Providence city area. Census blocks are shown with red boundaries and labeled with the 15-character U.S. national scope unique census block code. The pointer is located in census block 440070012001001, or 44-007-001200-1001, expressed as SS-CCC_TTTTTT-BBBB. Access these Census 2010 data (an example) using the Census FactFinder tool via this link. This is the “P1 RACE” table. The Census 2010 population of the block was 598. This census block is one of 13,597 Census 2010 census blocks comprising Providence County.

Rhode Island 116th Congressional Districts 01 and 02 (labeled) split Providence city (cross-hatch pattern) as shown in the graphic below. Pointer shows CD boundary.

Similar to above, the graphic below shows census blocks in context of Providence city (bold green boundary) and CDs 01 and 02.

Next Steps
This section provides a geographic orientation the Census 2020 P.L. 94-171 prototype area. A subsequent post (March 2019) will extend on this post with Census 2020 P.L. 94-171 data and related details. Use the downloadable project and software to examine geodemographics and redistricting operations.

Data Analytics Web Sessions
See these applications live/demoed. Run the applications on your own computer.
Join me in a Data 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.