BGI Reference Desk

Compare Tracts Over Time

The easiest way to compare tracts across Censuses or to other geographic types such as neighborhoods is as follows:

1. Find out what streets bound the tract (see American Factfinder > Reference Maps for help in determining which streets those are).
2. Find or create a map showing tract boundaries and streets for the other years or geographic types
3. Compare them.

This is not a precision method. For that, you will need access to GIS software, experience using it and the files on the Census Tract Relationship Files web page.