MCDC News and Updates

Category: Data Updates

Data Updates (September 2023)

Posted on by glenn

We have a few routine data and application updates to announce this month.

  • On August 24, we posted new a zcta_master set to our geographic reference data collection. Zcta_master is a comprehensive ZCTA (ZIP Code Tabulation Area) resource with geographic correspondences and vintage 2021 ACS-based demographics. This new version uses ZCTAs as defined for the 2020 census. We have our usual SAS dataset, accessible via the Dexter data extraction tool, as well as a CSV file.
  • We found some minor errors in the new DHC data collection. Tract codes were missing final digits. These have been corrected.
  • Two of our workhorse data applications, uex2dex and Dexter, underwent substantial code updates and revisions.
  • Just this week, we published the 2022-vintage round of intercensal population estimates, released earlier this year. These include the CASRH (characteristics of age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin) data for all states, population ranks, housing unit estimates, and the new “curmoests” Excel file (Missouri current population estimates for the state, counties, subcounty units, and cities and towns).

Please contact the MCDC web manager with any questions or comments.

CAPS 2020 Is Finally Here!

Posted on by glenn

MCDC is pleased to announce the launch of the newest version of our popular CAPS (Circular Area Profiles) applications.

CAPS 2020 is based on our new standard profiles (/data/dhc2020x), created earlier this month from the Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC) data from the 2020 decennial census, released in May 2023.

Much like the versions of CAPS based on previous decennial censuses, the new application reports just over 100 key variables (with corresponding percents) from the 2020 DHC file.

Functionally, CAPS 2020 is very similar to the older CAPS applications, although we did a lot of code updates under the hood.

Keen-eyed users may notice that 2010 populations reported by the CAPS 2020 app differ (sometimes significantly) from those reported for the same circles in CAPS 2010. In addition to normal population growth or decline, this is primarily due to the many changes in census geographies (blocks, block groups, and tracts) between 2010 and 2020. There is really no good way around this issue. The 2010 population, and the 2010-to-2020 change/percent change figures should be taken with a grain of salt.

DHC 2020 Standard Extracts Added to MCDC’s Collection

Posted on by glenn

The Missouri Census Data Center has added our “standard extract” data based on the 2020 Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC) data. The collection is located in the /data/dhc2020x directory and is also accessible from our data portal page.

This is the collection of standard extracts, where we create a set of just over 100 key variables (with corresponding percents) from the ~9,000 table cells in the complete 2020 DHC file. For each state in the US (plus DC and PR), we have three data sets: one for census blocks, one for complete block groups (summary level 150), and one for “selected inventory” levels: state, county, county subdivision, place (complete and within-county), census tract, and ZIP code (ZCTA). For most geographies, we have added the 2010 population count and used it to calculate change over the decade.

This collection will be the basis for our forthcoming update to the CAPS (Circular Area Profiles) application using 2020 Census data. Users may expect to see the updated CAPS 2020 application in late August 2023.

Demographic and Housing Characteristics Data Added to MCDC’s Collection

Posted on by glenn

The Missouri Census Data Center is pleased to announce that we’ve added the new Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC) data to our census data archives. The collection is located in the /data/dhc2020 directory and is also accessible from our data portal page.

The Demographic and Housing Characteristics data was released by the U.S. Census Bureau in May 2023. This is one of the main data products based on the 2020 decennial census.

As in 2010, there was only a short form questionnaire in 2020, so the DHC tables contain just basic demographics (age, sex, race / ethnicity, household types, etc.). The DHC is more or less equivalent to Summary File 1 from the 2010 and earlier censuses, and contains many of the same tables and variables as SF1, although there are some differences.

This data will become the source for MCDC’s DHC standard extract (or “profiles”) — our custom set of key variables for useful geographic area types — which should be ready within a month or so.

Post-Redistricting Geographies Now Available in Geocorr 2022

Posted on by glenn

Geocorr 2022 just got better!

Many of our users have been asking when the new, post-Census-2020 Congressional districts would be available in Geocorr. The short answer is that 118th CDs are now included in Geocorr 2022, along with current state legislative districts.

A somewhat longer answer is that the U.S. Census Bureau has not yet released shapefiles or block lists for building 118th CDs or current SLDLs or SLDUs from 2020 tabulation blocks — and is not planning to do so for several months yet.

The Bureau’s Redistricting Data Office (RDO) intends to publish block equivalency files for the 118th Congress and for the 2022 state legislative districts, but not until December of 2022 at the earliest. And, the Bureau’s Geography division will not be releasing block allocation files for the same areas at all. However, the new areas will be published as shapefiles in the cartographic boundary files collection around April or May of 2023. They may also be released with the 2022 TIGER/Line shapefiles, generally around October.

Because of this lack of availability, we obtained new CD and state legislative boundary shapefiles from The American Redistricting Project, merged them, and ran intersections against 2020 TIGER/Line block shapefiles to determine how every block fits into the new districts. This was a tedious process, especially since the block and district shapefiles didn’t line up exactly, but we now have enough data to use for correlations.

With all that said, the new legislative geographies in Geocorr 2022 should be considered provisional until such time as they can be verified via official Census Bureau block equivalency files or shapefiles.

Of lesser interest (mainly for our Missouri users), Geocorr 2022 now also includes the most recent MO library districts.

As always, please contact Glenn Rice (riceg@missouri.edu) with technical questions.

Data Updates (June 2022)

Posted on by glenn

We have a handful of data updates to report this spring.

In addition, for the convenience of our GIS users, we’ve added national shapefiles for the 2022-vintage congressional districts (118th Congress) and state upper- and lower-chamber legislative districts. These were compiled from individual state shapefiles downloaded from the American Redistricting Project. We have attempted to clean and normalize the attribute tables. Please note that these are not official Census Bureau shapefiles.

Please contact the MCDC website manager with any questions or comments.

Minor Data Updates (January 2022)

Posted on by glenn

We have just a few minor data updates this month.

Please contact the MCDC website manager with any questions or comments.

ACS 2016-2020 five-year data release is delayed until March 2022

Posted on by glenn

The U.S. Census Bureau announced on Nov. 10 that the American Community Survey (ACS) 2016-2020 five-year data release will be delayed until March 2022. The ACS normally releases its five-year data products in December of every year. However, according to the Bureau’s statement, “Additional time is needed to continue refining our methodology so that we can minimize the impact of nonresponse bias due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

This delay will affect several of MCDC’s data applications, notably ACS Profiles, Circular Area Profiles (CAPS ACS), and Missouri County Fact Sheets.

Expect additional updates regarding this matter in December.