Is it possible to compare demographic data from one year to the next?

Answer

Continuous improvements to methodologies and input data preclude comparisons to prior vintages of Esri Updated Demographics. In addition, boundary changes hinder temporal comparability.

Esri strongly encourages all users to migrate to the most current vintage of Esri Updated Demographics. Current vintage data leverages the most relevant input data, universe bases, geography, and apportionment weights. Esri Updated Demographics represent a July 1 point-in-time estimate of current population, housing, and characteristics. Updated Demographics are released for the current-year and five-year projection only and not as a time series that smooths change out over an estimate horizon.

Users that are interested in year-over-year change should refer to Esri Vintage Time Series Totals. This data is designed to show temporal change from the estimate base to the current vintage for total population, households, and housing units. Learn more:

• Vintage 2022 Esri Time Series Totals Methodology Statement;
• Esri 2022-2027 Data Catalog (XLS) See Time Series (Esri).