Hello,
Since census tracts can split, merge, or otherwise change at the decennial census (so most recently, with the 2020 census), I'm wondering if anyone has been successful analyzing census tract data from year to year as census tracts change (i.e., in a line chart), and if so, how you went about doing that?
Thanks!
-D
Social Explorer has data up back to 1970 for tracts on the 2010 boundaries, which had slight changes as of 2012. We plan to move these data to 2020 boundaries soon. You should realize that tract boundaries are delineated by a cooperative program between the Census bureau and Local Authorities. We used the fractions that John Logan of Brown created for his Longitudinal Tract file (with his permission). For more recent years 2000, there is block correspondence file, which can be used to allocate based upon land area, or based upon population. For the earlier years, one can use areal allocation. The original allocation of this sort was done by Michael White and the Urban institute. These data are used extensively to tract change. Obviously, they are estimates. Social Explorer is available at more than 400 institutions of higher education on a license for students, faculty and staff. We also support short trials. Go to www.socialexplorer.com for more information. Or write to us at info@socialexplorer.co
Andy Beveridge.