Race Data

A summary of the Census Race Data specification.

1.0 Introduction

Race datasets are reported once per year by the United States Census. The data reflect the number of persons self-identifying as one or more races defined by the US Census. The data sets range from 2015 - to 2020 and have been aggregated to census tracts.

Race data is collected is based on an individual's self-identification. The Census Bureau does not tell individuals which boxes to mark or what heritage to write in. Since the year 2000, individuals have had the option to self-identify with more than one race. Individuals identifying as multi-racial may choose to provide multiple races in response to the census question. The categories provided in the questionnaire reflect a social definition of race, rather than a biological, anthropological, or genetic definition. It is recognized by the Census that the categories include racial and national origin or sociocultural groups.

Race Categories

The U.S. Census Bureau adheres to the 1997 Office of Budget and Management standards for collecting information on race and ethnicity. The classifications outlined by the census are as follows:

White – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Black or African American – A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
American Indian or Alaska Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Asian – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

Census Race Parameters: Census.gov

2.0 Data Specification

The following table is the format in which downloaded Race data will be provided:

Field	Type	Description
`geo_id`	String	14-digit code relating the data to the correct geolocation.
`census_tract_code`	String	The unique identifier provided by the US Census for each census tract.
`sub_category`	String	Racial identification provided by the census.
`unit`	String	Total count of persons.
`value`	Float	Number of persons fitting within survey criteria.
`year`	String	Year data was collected.
`county_name`	String	Name of the county that the census tract resides in.
`state_name`	String	Name of the state that the census tract resides in.
`geometry`	String	The GIS information required for the computer to read the mapping file.

💡Tip: The “GEO.ID” field contains 14-digit codes that identify the summary level of data, the geographic component of the data, and FIPS codes that uniquely identify the data. For example, the 14-digit “GEO.ID” for Harris County, TX is “0500000US48201” where “050” represents the summary level of the data, “0000” represents the 2-digit geographic variant, and the 2-digit geographic component, “US” represents the United States, “48” represents the state of Texas and “201” represents Harris County.