Old Blocks, New Opportunities: Extending NHGIS Block Data Back to 1980
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Keywords: Census, Population, Urban Geography, Demography, Geographic Information Systems
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract
Authors:
Kate Knowles, IPUMS, University of Minnesota
Jonathan Schroeder, IPUMS, University of Minnesota
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Abstract
Studies of neighborhood change often butt up against the question, how far back can we go and still find good data? Through the IPUMS National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS), we are continually working to provide a more favorable answer to this question. Our latest achievement is boundary data for 1980 census blocks, extending our block-level coverage from 2020 back a full four decades. Block data is as good as it gets for high-resolution spatial analysis of population and housing. Originally, 1980 block boundaries were released only via microfiche or paper maps to various repositories, and the only digital versions, available through the 1992 TIGER/Line Files, were badly incomplete and inaccurate. NHGIS is remedying this situation by producing digital boundaries for all metro areas in the country. The process of translating the analog boundaries to accurate digital files is surprisingly complex and time-consuming. We will share the challenges of this work, summarize our timeline and the scope of what is currently available, and provide examples of the utility of block-level data for mapping and spatial analysis.
Old Blocks, New Opportunities: Extending NHGIS Block Data Back to 1980
Category
Paper Abstract
