Question: When will Census 2020 Geographies be available to use in GIS work?

Answer:  February-March 2021, according to the PSAP website (as of 1/1/2021)

 The PSAP is the Census Bureau’s Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP).

 https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/psap.html

 I’m not sure if that’s the current word from the Census Bureau on release. The state-level counts, which were due 12/31/2020, have yet to be delivered.

 From the Census Bureau’s 12/30/2020 news release:

 “The schedule for reporting this data is not static. Projected dates are fluid. We continue to process the data collected and plan to deliver a complete and accurate state population count for apportionment in early 2021, as close to the statutory deadline as possible.”

 And there’s still the April 1, 2021 deadline for releasing the reapportionment file (the PL 94-171 file). No word if that date will slip as well.

 Hopefully the GIS files will be available before April 1st to allow your GIS staff to hit the ground running with the new data.

 The proposed 2020 census tracts, block groups, Census Designated Places, etc., are available on the Bureau’s TIGERweb site, here:

https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/tigerwebmain/TIGERweb_main.html

 “The "Current" vintage reflects planned 2020 geographies for census tracts, census block groups, census designated places (CDPs), census county divisions (CCDs), tribal census tracts, tribal block groups, Alaska Native village statistical areas (ANVSAs), Oklahoma tribal statistical areas (OTSAs) and their tribal subdivisions, state American Indian Reservations (SAIRs), state designated tribal statistical areas (SDTSAs), and tribal designated statistical areas (TDSAs) as collected through the 2020 Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP). PSAP participants are reviewing and verifying these areas, and identifying corrections where needed, before they are used in the tabulation and publication of data.”

 When I think of “vintage” I think of table wine… I guess if you’re a geographer “vintage” takes on a whole different meaning!

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 What is kind of cool on the PSAP page is the list of new proposed census designated places (CDPs) for the 2020 Census. 

Some of my favorites:

 Big Rock, Iowa (as well as Big Rocks in Tennessee and Virginia. Alas, no Big Rock Candy Mountain!)

Bug Tussle, Oklahoma

Candy Rock Kitchen, New Mexico

Centerville, Arkansas (not to be confused with Centervilles in Kansas, Louisiana and Montana!)

Dime Box, Texas

Dumb Hundred, Pennsylvania

Four Square Mile, Colorado

Frisbee, Missouri

Knob Lick, Missouri

Pumpkin Center, California (and Pumpkin Hollow, Oklahoma!)

Volcano Golf Course, Hawaii

 

Alas, I still can’t find East Cupcake.

 

Happy New Years, and Stay Safe!

 

Chuck Purvis

Hayward, California