I’ve received a few requests to do census data intros for spring courses, so I thought it would be a good time to mention this: I’ve updated the handout I’ve created for Finding NYC Neighborhood Census Data. It provides an overview of what neighborhoods are, what the census datasets are, and summarizes the main sources for the data. The handout is a PDF file that is embedded throughout the NYC Data Guide at http://guides.newman.baruch.cuny.edu/nyc_data.
I’ve also made updates to another PDF handout, the American Factfinder Tutorial, that’s embedded throughout the NYC Data and US Census Guides. I expect that I’ll have to update it again within the next month or so, as the Census is going to alter the AFF interface again to make it easier to use (based on user feedback).
The most pertinent, recent change to the Census: they are now releasing ZIP Code / ZCTA data on an annual basis as part of the 5-year American Community Survey ACS (previously, ZCTA data was only available via the decennial census). I’ve updated the Google Maps on the Neighborhoods tab of the NYC Data Guide so, when you click on a ZCTA, you can choose to look at the 2010 Census profile or one of the 4 ACS profiles from 2007-2011. The PUMA map has been updated to point to the latest 3-year ACS data (2009-2011) and the borough links to the most recent 1-year ACS data (2011).
The Census Bureau’s American Factfinder (AFF) is the primary source for census datasets that include the 2010 and 2000 Census, the American Community Survey, and the Population Estimates Program. The new version of the AFF was launched at the beginning of this year; it gives users more options for searching for data but can be a bit bewildering.
I’ve created a how-to handout with screenshots that demonstrates one method for retrieving data. I provide two examples: one is downloading a profile for a census tract from the American Community Survey, and the other is downloading a comparison table for ZIP Codes from the 2010 Census. Links to the handout are available throughout the New York City Data LibGuide on several pages, and on the US Census Data LibGuide. It’s embedded in a box labeled American Factfinder.
While the AFF is the ultimate source for census data there are some easier sources you can refer users to depending on what they’re looking for; these include the Social Explorer database, the Infoshare database, the NYC Department of City Planning, and the PUMA and ZCTA Google Maps embedded in the Neighborhoods tab of the NYC Data Guide. Embedded in the Neighborhoods tab is a separate guide with recommendations for finding NYC neighborhood census data that highlights these options.
On January 20th (tomorrow) the original version of the Census Bureau’s American Factfinder will disappear, and the New American Factfinder will take it’s place. You’ll want to update any links you have in guides, web pages, and handouts to the new version at http://factfinder2.census.gov/.
The new version gives users a lot more options and paths for searching for census data. Unfortunately, this avalanche of options can make searching more daunting, as it’s tough to figure out where to start. You can look at the Quick Start guide for a brief intro or view a number of video tutorials and guides.
One approach is to use the old approach – choose the dataset first (Decennial Census, American Community Survey, Population Estimates, Economic Census, etc), choose your geography second, and then select the tables you want to view and download.
I’ve updated the census related libguides (US Census Data and New York City Data) and revised the Finding NYC Neighborhood Census Data Handout to reflect the changes. The Factfinder is one of several ways to access data (others being the Social Explorer for national or City data, and the City Department of Planning and Google Maps I’ve created for City data).
1. I’ve created a handout that summarizes the different neighborhood geographies, census datasets, and sources for finding neighborhood profiles and comparison tables. Much of the 2010 Census data is now available and the NYC Dept of City Planning has also released some new resources. The handout is available on the neighborhoods tab of the NYC Data Libguide as a PDF; it updates and replaces the Neighborhood FAQ page that was previously in the guide.
What’s the difference between the 2010 Census and the American Community Survey? What the heck is a PUMA and a ZCTA and what’s the difference? Where’s the best place to go get neighborhood census data? It’s all in the handout. The dataset, geography, and source you choose will vary based on the nature of the question and the relative importance of currency, size of geographic area, and variables needed.
2. I’ve created a new Google Map that lets you to click on ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) within the city to open 2010 Census profiles directly from the Census Bureau’s American Factfinder. ZCTAs are statistical areas created by the Census Bureau to approximate USPS ZIP Codes. The map is also available on the neighborhoods tab of the NYC Data guide, directly below the PUMA Google Map (which you can use to get neighborhood profiles from the 2007-2009 American Community Survey). If viewing the map within the guide is too constraining, you can click the View Larger Map link directly below the map to get the full screen view.
The NYC Department of City Planning has released new tables and maps based on the 2010 Census Redistricting data, which gives us basic counts of the population. The tables (in PDF and Excel format) are provided for the city, boroughs, individual census tracts, and new areas called Neighborhood Tabulation Areas (NTAs). Here’s their definition:
*Neighborhood Tabulation Areas (NTAs) are aggregations of census tracts that are subsets of New York City’s 55 Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs). Primarily due to these constraints, NTA boundaries and their associated names may not definitively represent neighborhoods.
There are 195 NTAs in the city – more manageable then the 2,168 census tracts (small areas with an ideal size of 4,000 people) and more precise than the 55 PUMAs (large areas with an ideal size of 100,000 people). It looks like the department may be trying to re-align and standardize how they’re going to report the new 2010 Census data with how they’ll be reporting the annually updated American Community Survey (the Census Bureau will probably report next year’s ACS using updated 2010 Census boundaries). The city provides cross-tabs that you can use if you wanted to aggregate tract-level data to NTAs on your own, and helpful maps that show you where the NTAs are.
All of these geographies nest within each other: census tracts -> NTAs -> PUMAs -> Boroughs -> City. The city hasn’t said whether or how they’ll report data for the Community Districts; it seems likely that they will, since the CDs were established by city law. The 59 CDs were also constructed by aggregating census tracts and they are similar in size to PUMAs, but they don’t align well with the PUMA boundaries.
It’s likely that the city will release more tables and maps once the complete 2010 census data for Summary File 1 is released this summer.
The NY Times just released a new set of nationwide census map depicting some of the recently released data from the 2010 Census. Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census compliments the mapping site that the Times previously posted, Mapping America: Every City, Every Block, which used data from the 2005-2009 American Community Survey.
With both datasets side by side we can see important differences between them. If we look at census tract 68 in New York County (the tract where Baruch College is located), according to the 2010 Census there are 7,614 residents and the two largest groups are white (71%) and Asian (14%). If we look at this same tract according to the 2005-2009 American Community Survey, the estimate is 5,501 residents of whom 80% are white and 8% are Asian. What’s going on here? How can they be so different?
The 2010 Census is a snapshot, a one time count of what the total population was on April 1, 2010. The ACS on the other hand is a moving image, a rolling average based on five years of sample data between 2005 and 2009. They’re not going to be the same as they cover different time periods and are calculated using different methods. Also, the NY Times and most other publications often fail to report the confidence interval and the margins of error for the ACS estimates – for the 2005-2009 ACS, the estimate for Tract 68 is 5,501 residents, plus or minus 459 residents at a 90% confidence level.
Estimates tend to be more reliable as the population being surveyed increases or the geographic area increases in size. So you’ll get better estimates for total number of people than you would for a particular group, and you’ll get better estimates for a county then you would a census tract.
Which dataset should you use? For most of our students, who are often more interested in socio-economic variables like income and education, you’ll have to stick with the ACS. If they’re looking for population data (age, race, gender) and those socio-economic variables as well, they should get all of them from the ACS and not mix the two datasets together. The 2010 Census is not going to include ANY of the socio-economic data; these questions were cut and the ACS is the only place for these variables. But, if you have patrons who are interested in population change from 2000 to 2010 or they’re only interested in demographic variables, then the 2010 Census is the place to go.
I’ve included some maps from both mapping sites below that show tract 68 – they display the same data (total population and race) in a different format (2005-2009 ACS is a dot density map that shows race, 2010 Census is a shaded area map that shows total population change).
NY Times ACS 2005-2009 Map for NY County Census Tract 68NY Times 2010 Census Map for NY County Census Tract 68
The 2010 Census Redistricting Data was rolled out on a state by state basis over the last month, and New York State was one of the last states to be released. A summary of NY State’s population change along with tables and maps to download is available in this press release.
New York State’s population grew from 18,976,457 in 2000 to 19,378,102 in 2010; a change of 401,645 or 2.1%. New York City’s population grew from 8,008,278 in 2000 to 8,175,133 in 2010; a change of 166,855 or 2.1%.
The Census Bureau has finished releasing the 2010 Census Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171) to each of the 50 states, DC, and PR. The Census is required by law to provide this dataset to each state within one year of the count so that states can redraw their legislative district boundaries based on population change.
The redistricting dataset provides basic population data broken down by race, Latino / Hispanic origin, and adult population (18 years and older) and basic housing data by occupancy status (total units occupied and vacant). Data is provided for most geographic summary levels (states, counties, places, census tracts, census block groups) but not all (no PUMAs, ZCTA/ZIP Codes or metro areas).
The easiest place to get basic data for each state, with summaries by counties and the largest cities, is via the Redistricting Data Press Kits. On the state pages you can download an Excel file for the state, along with static maps showing population and population change by county. A link to an interactive population map for the state is also provided
To access the full datasets for all the different geographies in the state, you’ll have to visit the new version of the American Factfinder. Since the interface is a little daunting, they’ve created a video tutorial that shows you how to get the data. For more info about the dataset, visit the 2010 Redistricting Data site.
A large bulk of the 2010 Census will be released in Summary File 1 (SF1) between June and August of 2011. For many of the census or demographic questions we receive (particularly concerning neighborhood data in NYC), you’ll still want to continue to send people to the most current release of the American Community Survey via the original version of the American Factfinder.
The Census Bureau has created some slick looking maps and charts with new 2010 Census data. There’s a national map that shows change in population, change in congressional apportionment, and population density by state, along with population change charts for the past 100 years.
There are also state level maps that show change in population between 2000 and 2010 at the county level for total population and population by race and Hispanic / Latino origin. As of this post there are only 4 states available (New York isn’t ready yet, but you can check out Jersey); all the state level maps should be released by April 1st.
These maps were designed to be used as “widgets”. There’s some html code below each one that you can copy and paste into a web page, allowing you to embed a particular map on your web site. This blog doesn’t support the particular code; otherwise I’d embed one here. It does work in LibGuides however, if you’re using a wide page layout (two columns instead of three).
