2/1/2011 new TIGER files for the 2010 Census, part 2

Last week the Census Bureau finished releasing their 2010 TIGER files (all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico). These contain the Census Tract boundary files to be used when mapping Census 2010 data.

The 2010 release is 74,022 Census Tracts, an 11.6% increase from the 66,317 Census Tracts for use with Census2000 data. Generally, “inner city” census tracts, and rural census tracts, remain unchanged, while the additional tracts come from spliting suburban census tracts (almost all population changes from 2000-to-2010 are “increases in suburban areas”).

For 2010, there are 3,221 counties (up from the 3,220 previously because two counties in Alaska were split into three). Although the count of Census Tracts remain unchanged for 1,827 counties,1,120 gained Tracts, and 247 lost Tracts.

Forsyth County in the Atlanta, GA MSA increased +462.5%, from 8 Tracts to 45 Tracts (largest percentage increase):



Los Angeles County in the Los Angeles, CA MD increased +14.2%, from 2,054 Tracts to 2,346 Tracts (+292 is the largest count increase).

Ziebach County in the South Dakota non-MSA area decreased -80.0%, from 5 Tracts to 1 Tract (largest percentage decrease).

Cuyahoga County in the Cleveland, OH MSA decreased +11.0%, from 502 Tracts to 447 Tracts (-55 is the largest count decrease).

for a complete list of all County counts and changes, please email
dennis.dixon@dixonspatialconsulting.com
subject: TIGER 2010 Counties