2020 Census Data

Baltimore’s Department of Planning provides reliable data to inform City officials, Planning staff and community members involved in the planning decision-making process. 

Since the release of the 2020 Decennial Census, we are preparing online data dashboards to help visualize the data at different geographies.  We will be adding more dashboards and map applications as we continue to analyze the data.

• Baltimore City 2020 Census - Results Summary
• Baltimore City Census Comparison:  2010-2020 - by Neighborhood Statisical Area (Excel)

2020 Census Demographics Data Explorers

 by Neighborhood Statistical Areas 

 by City Council District

2020 Census Redistricting Links

• Baltimore City Census Comparison: 2010-2020 - by City Council District
• Reallocating Inmate Data for Redistricting
• 2020 Redistricting Data for Maryland - State Data Center

Other Census Information

• "2020 Census may have undercounted Black Americans, new analyses say" - The Washington Post (October 13, 2021)
• "How the racial makeup of where you live has changed since 1990" - The Washington Post (August 16, 2021)
• Baltimore Region Jurisdictional Level Summaries of the Redistricting Data File (PL 94-171) - Baltimore Metropolitan Council (Sept 2020)

Learn More about Census Terms

• Technical Documentation: Data Dictionary (view full document)
• Comparing Census Vacant Housing Units vs. City Vacant Building Notices
• NPR Article: "1 In 7 People Are 'Some Other Race' On The U.S. Census. That's A Big Data Problem"

Neighborhood Profiles

 A closer look at the Neighborhood Statistical Areas (NSA) throughout Baltimore, using five-year U.S. American Community Survey data (2015-2019) and City administrative data.

Where Does the Data Come From?  The majority of data in the Profiles above are drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing survey conducted each year by the U.S. Census Bureau to provide the latest information on the social and economic characteristics of communities across the United States. It includes questions about age, race, family characteristics, income, housing costs and transportation mode, among other household and population characteristics.

The ACS replaced the long form of the Decennial Census in 2010. It provides the latest demographic data for our communities each year. Each month, the ACS goes out to a sample of households across the country – about 3.5 million households are contacted by the U.S. Census annually to complete the ACS survey. The Census then rolls these responses into one-year, three-year and five-year estimates. For places with a population of less than 20,000, data is accumulated over a five-year period to provide a statistically reliable sample. ACS data is available down to the census block group level.

More information on the American Community Survey can be found in this Information Guide published by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Decennial Census is mandated by the Constitution and takes places every ten years. The data collected determines the distribution of federal funding to local communities. It provides an official count of the entire U.S. population to Congress. The goal of the Decennial Census is to conduct a full count of the population, covering basic demographic information (age, sex, and race). 

Between each Decennial Census, the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program uses data on births, deaths and migration to measure population change. This data is available for the nation, and each state, county and city across the country.

For more information:

Explore Census Data: A tool from the U.S. Census Bureau that allows users to access and download data from the American Community Survey, the Decennial Census and other federal data sources.

Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance: A resource from the Jacob France Institute at the University of Baltimore that compiles more than 150 indicators across 55 Community Statistical Areas (CSAs) covering all of Baltimore City. CSAs reflect United States Census Tract boundaries, allowing year-to-year comparisons to be made. Updated on an annual basis.

Maryland State Data Center - Census 2020 

Maryland Data Explorer: An interactive data tool from Maryland’s Department of Commerce that allows users to compare every county in Maryland and the City of Baltimore across a variety of economic, demographic, land use and transportation variables.

Advocates for Children and Youth compile data fact sheets for Baltimore City and each county in Maryland that summarize data relevant to children: health, education, juvenile justice, and child welfare.

Maryland Department of Labor’s Area Explorer: Provides a monthly measure of the unemployment rate in Baltimore City, as well as a wealth of data on wages, commuting patterns, occupational projections, and major employers.

Baltimore City’s Housing Typology Map: Baltimore City’s Planning Department and the Department of Housing and Community Development collaborate with The Reinvestment Fund (TRF) to produce a Housing Market Typology (HMT) every three years. The resulting HMT map classifies city housing markets into eight categories using data indicators such as median sales price and foreclosure rates. The Housing Market Typology was last updated in 2017.