Get started with U.S. Updated Demographics

Part 1: Understanding the Updated Demographics portfolio

Access to the most current and accurate demographic data is crucial for making informed decisions. Understanding what Esri Updated Demographics is and how the demographic data is developed allows you to determine the benefits of using the data and the value Esri Demographic data provides.

Before proceeding with this tutorial

If you are a first-time user of data or new to Updated Demographics, we recommend starting with the  Learn essential demographic data skills  tutorial series. This four-part tutorial provides a foundation for working with Esri's global collection of demographic data.  Part 2: Data about people   introduces the basics of demographic data, Esri Demographics, and how data is collected, organized, and made available for use. You may find this tutorial a natural precursor to understanding the information covered in this series.


Updated Demographics

The Esri Updated Demographics portfolio consists of U.S. only data (such as population, age, and sex), subject to regular updates that result in current-year estimates and five-year forecasts for more than 2,000 data variables. Updated Demographics data captures changing trends and serves as a foundation for informed decision-making, policy planning, and development of targeted services and initiatives. Within this portfolio, additional databases such as consumer spending, market potential, Tapestry Lifestyle Segmentation, business, and more are also included.

Esri's collection of U.S. demographic databases, referred to as Updated Demographics, are point estimates representing July 1 of the current and forecast years. To gain an understanding of the type of data that comprises Updated Demographics let's review this content grouped by common subject matter.

We begin with Demographic totals for current year and five-year forecasts such as Total Population, Family Population, and Housing Units.

Demographic totals refer to the sum or overall count of individuals, households, or housing units within a specific demographic group or category.

Esri Demographic Totals chart

Esri also provides updated profiles of the U.S. population across a number of characteristics such as age, sex, education, and marital status. This type of data is used to help understand local community differences and composition of the workforce.

Esri's Population Characteristics chart

Moreover, updated profiles across a number of housing or household characteristics are available, such as income, net worth, and housing units. This data can add analytical insight into an area's financial well-being, as well as the value of the local housing stock.

Esri's Housing Characteristics chart

Lastly, the Esri portfolio includes a number of demographic and socioeconomic data variables represented in index or ratio form such as diversity index, housing affordability, and age dependency. This data helps analysts quickly understand areas that may experience suburban sprawl, need for retirement homes, schools, or affordable housing.


Esri data developers

Esri employs an in-house team of demographers, economists, statisticians, and analysts known as Esri Data Development. Pictured are Esri's Chief Demographer and Data Development Team Lead.

The annual demographic update process begins with the team focusing on the demographic totalspopulation, and housing/household characteristics—from the most recent U.S. Census.

Esri data developers

The update process includes a thorough review of trends over the past decade to understand patterns of change. A combination of data sources are evaluated against the latest census and used to measure different components of population and household change.

These sources are also used to update small areas, including a mix of methods and techniques that are used to capture demographic change. As a result, annual estimates and five-year forecasts are available for more than 2,000 variables.

To gain a more in-depth understanding of how Esri data is developed, you can view the detailed  Methodology  documents.

 Please note, alongside Updated Demographics, Esri provides U.S. Census Bureau and American Community Survey (ACS) demographics as a point of reference for understanding growth in an area and to provide additional community details.  

Update Data Process


Why use Updated Demographics

In this section, we highlight four major benefits (data accuracy, timeliness, trusted data sources, and geographic availability) for using Updated Demographics over other data sources. Typical use cases are also highlighted along with a detailed area analysis to demonstrate how powerful Updated Demographics can be over traditional public source data.

Data accuracy is only as good as its data sources, the methods employed and the people behind the data.

Why use Esri Data: Data Accuracy

Esri deploys several timely data releases throughout the year. Updated Demographics data is released each summer.

Why use Esri Data: Timeliness

One of the most critical steps in creating Updated Demographics data products is combining the best source data available with the best modeling processes. Esri has decades of experience working with data.

Why use Esri data: Trusted data sources

Key benefits to using Updated Demographics are geographic availability and the convenience of ready-to-use data files (no additional steps required by the user to format the data.)

Use cases

Understanding the four key benefits for using Updated Demographics mentioned in the previous section is vital to the business community and local governments alike.

Users who depend on data should evaluate if whether their analysis could benefit from using the most current information available to make important, if not critical, data-driven decisions. Shown are some common uses.


Validation using Updated Demographics

Sometimes seeing how an area has changed over time is proof enough for the validity of using Updated Demographics over other data sources. One of the biggest advantages to creating data internally is having access to Esri’s own GIS software, tools, and vast imagery library to visually track and confirm patterns of change across the United States.

To demonstrate, let’s examine a census block group area in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Drag the slider button in the center of the map to compare satellite imagery from 2020 (left, outlined in red) to imagery from 2023 (right, outlined in red). These images illustrate how this same census block group neighborhood has dramatically changed.

What was once vacant lots in 2020 now shows new housing growth. Northbank and Cityview Walk are among the area's newest waterfront housing developments.

Using the same census block group, the bar chart depicts Esri demographic change estimates between 2020 and 2023.

Using up-to-date data in this example emphasizes how important it is to use accurate information. This area grew from having zero population, households, and housing units to being occupied within a three-year time period.

Census Block Group Comparison chart

Next steps

In this tutorial, you learned about the basics of Updated Demographics data - what it is, who creates the data, and why it's more beneficial to use over other data sources. To continue learning, explore  Part 2 - Explore lifestyle, behavioral, business, and census data . In this tutorial, you will learn more about the other valuable data tables that round out Esri Updated Demographics portfolio. To learn how to access and start using the data, view  Part 3 - Work with Updated Demographics data .

To further learn how to use and interpret Updated Demographics data, explore the tutorial series below:


Learn more

Data methodologies

Esri data estimates and forecasts are developed from a mix of inputs from  Esri U.S. Updated Demographics , the decennial census, the ACS, and business data from Data Axle. Represented as point-in-time estimates as of July 1, the data is available for Esri’s standard geographic areas and for any user-defined polygon such as a ring or drive time.  Read Esri Updated Demographics Methodology Statement for more information 

Frequently asked questions

Use our  data reference page  to help answer additional questions about Esri Demographics.

Helpful links


Connect with us

If you have a topic you would like covered in a data tutorial to help you better understand U.S. data, send us an e-mail with your topic idea.

About this story

This story was created by Donna Fancher in collaboration with the Esri Data Development team. To start working with the U.S. data collection, visit the   Esri Location Data Resources   page.

Led by chief demographer Kyle Cassal and economist Douglas Skuta, Esri's Data Development team uses sophisticated quantitative methods to produce small area demographic and socioeconomic data to support informed decision-making. The team builds on a rich history of market intelligence to produce trusted independent estimates and forecasts for the United States based on innovative methodologies that use public and private data sources with the power of ArcGIS. Esri's Data Development team provides more than 7,000 proprietary data items to better understand the characteristics of people and places across multiple statistical and administrative boundaries and custom trade areas.

Esri, the Esri globe logo, The Science of Where, Tapestry, ArcGIS, esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of their respective mark owners.

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Copyright © 2024 Esri

Data accuracy is only as good as its data sources, the methods employed and the people behind the data.

Esri deploys several timely data releases throughout the year. Updated Demographics data is released each summer.

One of the most critical steps in creating Updated Demographics data products is combining the best source data available with the best modeling processes. Esri has decades of experience working with data.

Key benefits to using Updated Demographics are geographic availability and the convenience of ready-to-use data files (no additional steps required by the user to format the data.)