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Examining Low &
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Census Tract General Demographic Characteristics ACS 2017
  -- tools & data to analyze neighborhood level age, gender, race/origin, more
  -- determining & examining HMDA Low & Moderate Income census tracts


January 2019. Census tracts are important for many reasons. It is easy to misidentify or misunderstand patterns and characteristics within cities, counties and metros which can become blurred using these higher level, more aggregate geographies alone. Many cities and counties that might be experiencing demographic-economic decline will often have bright spots that are groups of a few or many census tracts. See about using these data and tools for HMDA low and moderate income applications below

This section is focused on tools, resources and methods that you can use to access, integrate and analyze U.S. by census tract general demographics data. The U.S. national scope Census Tracts Demographic-Economic Dataset contains approximately 600 subject matter items tabulated for each census tract organized into four subject matter groups:
  • General Demographics (this section)
  • Social Characteristics
  • Economic Characteristics
  • Housing Characteristics

Use the interactive table in this section to view, query, rank, compare general demographics for all tracts in the U.S. Data in this section are based on the American Community Survey (ACS) 2017 5-year estimates.

Current Estimates & Projections
ACS tract/small area estimates lag by four years or more between the current year and reference year. ACS does not produce current year annual estimates but estimates based on a 5-year period. The 2017 ACS estimates are centric to 2015. Use the ProximityOne annual tract estimates and projections 2010 through 2023 for current year (e.g., characteristics as of 2018) estimates and anticipated change 5 years ahead.

Patterns of Median Age Census Tract
The following graphic shows percent population age 65 and over (item D017 in the interactive table below) by census tract based on ACS 2017 5 year estimates. Zoom-in view focused on Texas showing Austin-Round Rock, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio metros with bold red-brown metros. (click link to view Situation & Outlook report), Click graphic for larger view, more detail (shows county layer) and legend color/data intervals. This map illustrates the geographic level of detail available using census tract demographics and the relative ease to gain insights using geospatial data analytics tools.

- View developed using CV XE GIS and related GIS project.

Use the interactive ranking table in this section to view, query, rank, compare general demographics of the population, households and families in these areas. The scroll box shown below lists each of the subject matter items available for each area via the ranking table. The number at the left of the subject matter item is also used as the short name for the subject matter item in the column header in the ranking table.

General Demographics Items
AGE AND GENDER
  D001     Total population
  D002 Male
  D003 Female
  D004 Under 5 years
  D005 5 to 9 years
  D006 10 to 14 years
  D007 15 to 19 years
  D008 20 to 24 years
  D009 25 to 34 years
  D010 35 to 44 years
  D011 45 to 54 years
  D012 55 to 59 years
  D013 60 to 64 years
  D014 65 to 74 years
  D015 75 to 84 years
  D016 85 years and over
  D017 Median age (years)
  D018 18 years and over
  D019 21 years and over
  D020 62 years and over
  D021 65 years and over
  D022     18 years and over
  D023 Male
  D024 Female
  D025     65 years and over
  D026 Male
  D027 Female
RACE
  D028     Total population
  D029 One race
  D030 Two or more races
  D031 One race
  D032     White
  D033     Black or African American
  D034     American Indian and Alaska Native
  D035         Cherokee tribal grouping
  D036         Chippewa tribal grouping
  D037         Navajo tribal grouping
  D038         Sioux tribal grouping
  D039     Asian
  D040         Asian Indian
  D041         Chinese
  D042         Filipino
  D043         Japanese
  D044         Korean
  D045         Vietnamese
  D046         Other Asian
  D047     Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
  D048         Native Hawaiian
  D049         Guamanian or Chamorro
  D050         Samoan
  D051         Other Pacific Islander
  D052     Some other race
  D053 Two or more races
  D054     White and Black or African American
  D055     White and American Indian and Alaska Native
  D056     White and Asian
  D057     Black or African American and American Indian and Alaska Native
    Race alone or in combination with one or more other races
  D058     Total population
  D059 White
  D060 Black or African American
  D061 American Indian and Alaska Native
  D062 Asian
  D063 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
  D064 Some other race
HISPANIC OR LATINO AND RACE
  D065     Total population
  D066 Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
  D067     Mexican
  D068     Puerto Rican
  D069     Cuban
  D070     Other Hispanic or Latino
  D071 Not Hispanic or Latino
  D072     White alone
  D073     Black or African American alone
  D074     American Indian and Alaska Native alone
  D075     Asian alone
  D076     Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
  D077     Some other race alone
  D078     Two or more races
  D079         Two races including Some other race
  D080         Two races excluding Some other race, and Three or more races
  D081     Total housing units
CITIZENSHIP
  D082 Citizen, 18 and Over Population
  D083 Citizen, 18 and Over Population -- Male
  D084 Citizen, 18 and Over Population -- Female


Example
To determine the census tracts with the largest Asian Indians alone population:
- Click ShowAll button.
- Use horizontal scroll bar to make column D040 visible.
- Click once on D040 column header then click once more on D040 column header (sort descending).
- Scroll to top row value: tract NJ-023-001416 has the largest Asian Indian alone population among all tracts: 5,260.

Census Tract Demographics Interactive Table ACS 2017
  Click ShowAll button between queries.
  Click column header to sort; click again to sort other direction. See usage notes below table.
  Data based on ACS 2017 5 year estimates. See related interactive tables
  Note -- the table may require a few seconds or more than a minute to initially load depending on Internet speed.


Usage Notes
  • Tract code column: Census 2010 census tract code (2017 vintage) structured as 11 characters:
      - ss (state postal code) + ccc (county FIPS code) + tttttt (Census 2010 census tract code).
      - all 11 characters required to uniquely identify a tract code.
  • Use Select Tract button to select one tract:
      - enter 11-character State+County FIPS code in edit box at right of Tract button.
      - click ShowAll button.
      - click Select Tract button to view/analyze selected tract.
  • Use StCty button to select/filter for all tracts in a county:
      - enter 1 character or null LMI: value (blank,1,2,3, or 4)
      - enter 5-character State+County FIPS code in edit box at right of StCty button.
      - click ShowAll button.
      - click StCty button to view/analyze tracts in this county for specified LMI.
  • Use CBSA button to select/filter for all tracts in a CBSA/metro:
      - enter 1 character or null LMI: value (blank,1,2,3, or 4)
      - get 5-character CBSA code from scroll section at right above table.
      - enter CBSA 5-character code in edit box at right of CBSA button for specified LMI.
      - click ShowAll button.
      - click CBSA button to view/analyze tracts in this CBSA.
  • Click ShowAll button between specific queries.
  • Cells with -1 value could not be estimated (for this geography and this time frame).

Use address look-up tool to determine census tract, city/place and other geocode/area name/demographics based on address.

View of Houston Area Showing Tract 48201510200
Create a similar view using the default US1.GIS project distributed with the CVXEGIS software.


Examining Low & Moderate Income Tracts .. goto top
The following graphic is a zoom-in view of Los Angeles city. Based on HMDA criteria tracts that are low income are labeled with "1" and tracts that are moderate income are labeled with "2".


The Site Analysis tool is started to selected/extract data for specific tracts for further analysis. tracts.


The View File button is clicked in the panel at left. A file with the selected tract records is created. Click this link to open the file: tracts17_06037_site1.dbf (open with excel)

Importance of Census Tracts for Data Analytics
Census tracts are important for many reasons.
  • Covering the U.S. wall-to-wall, census tracts are the preferred "small area" geography for superior data analytics.
  • The Census Bureau now produces annual tract demographic-economic data from the American Community Survey;
    .. there is an evolving time-series at the tract level creating new analytical opportunities.
  • Originally developed to equivalence neighborhoods, many still do.
  • Defined by the Census Bureau in collaboration with local groups,
    .. tracts typically reflect boundaries meaningful for local area analysis.
  • Defined generally for use with each new decennial census, most tract boundaries are stable
    .. and non-changing for ten years and many much longer.
  • Designed to average 4,000 population,
    .. there are more than twice as many census tracts (73,056) than ZIP code areas (33,129).
  • Tract boundaries are well-defined; unlike ZIP code areas which are subject to multi-sourced geographic definitions.
  • Many data developers (e.g., epidemiologists) use census tract geography to tabulate their own small area data
    .. enabling more effective use of those data with Census Bureau census tract data.
  • A statistical geographic area (in contrast to politically defined areas),
    .. census tracts are coterminous with counties;
    .. data at the census tract level can be aggregated to the county level.
  • Small area estimates for tracts are typically more reliable than for block groups.
    .. census tracts are comprised on one or more coterminous block groups.
    .. on average, a census tract is comprised of three block groups.
  • Census tracts are used by many Federal, state and local governments for compliance and program management.

The ACS provides "richer" demographic-economic characteristics for national scope census tracts. While Census 2010 provides data similar to those items in the General Demographics section, only ACS sourced data provide details on topics such as income and poverty, labor force and employment, housing value and costs, educational participation and attainment, language spoken at home, among many related items. The approximate 600 items accessible via the tract dataset are supplemented by a wide range of additional subject matter. ACS census tract data are updated annually in December of each year.

Find Geocodes Based on Address go top
Summary of steps to use the "Find tract code based on address..." tool located in the upper right of this page.
  • Enter an address in the three line form (no ZIP code).
  • Click Find button and the census tract and related geocodes are returned.
  • Copy the last 11 digits of the returned GEOID to clipboard (e.g., 06085508101).
  • Paste that value in the edit box to the right of the "Select Area" button below the interactive table.
  • Replace the first two characters (e.g., 06) with the uppercase USPS state abbreviation (e.g. CA).
  • Click the Select Area button; the table refreshes with the selected tract.
    .. optionally right click the row and copy tract attributes to clipboard.
    .. paste in application such as spreadsheet program.
    .. join us in a Data Analytics Lab session to review use of operations.
  • Table empty? Click the ShowAll button then click Select Area button again.

Use the Location-Based Demographics tool to view a demographic profile for an address.

ProximityOne User Group
Join the ProximityOne User Group to keep up-to-date with new developments relating to metros and component geography decision-making information resources. Receive updates and access to tools and resources available only to members. Use this form to join the User Group.

Support Using these Resources
Learn more about accessing and using demographic-economic data and related analytical tools. Join us in a Data Analytics Lab 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.

Additional Information
ProximityOne develops geodemographic-economic data and analytical tools and helps organizations knit together and use diverse data in a decision-making and analytical framework. We develop custom demographic/economic estimates and projections, develop geographic and geocoded address files, and assist with impact and geospatial analyses. Wide-ranging organizations use our tools (software, data, methodologies) to analyze their own data integrated with other data. Follow ProximityOne on Twitter at www.twitter.com/proximityone. Contact us (888-364-7656) with questions about data covered in this section or to discuss custom estimates, projections or analyses for your areas of interest.


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