Table of Contents

Getting Started

What you can do with GeocodioSpreadsheet formattingFile formatsFile sizesIntersectionsAddress completionPreviewing your spreadsheetReverse geocoding

U.S. Census Identifiers (FIPS/GeoID)

You can upload a spreadsheet of addresses or coordinates to Geocodio and add Census identifier information such as Census blocks, tracts, and FIPS codes. Simply select "Census" in Step 3 of the upload process, or use the census field in the API.

This information can be helpful to connect government datasets, such as to CMS or American Community Survey data, as well as for reporting and compliance needs with, for example, HMDA or CRA.

We also automatically concatenate Census geography IDs into commonly-used longer FIPS codes (GeoIDs):

  • For API and spreadsheet uploads: Full FIPS (block) to 15 digits (concatenation of State, County, Place, Tract and Block)
  • For spreadsheet uploads only: Full FIPS (tract) to 11 digits (concatenation of State, County, Place, and Tract)

You can download an example of the results when you add Census blocks, tracts, and FIPS codes to a list of addresses here.

We always return data for the most recent Census year. Currently, the most recent year is the 2023 Census year. Historic Census data back to 2000 is available through the API or by using the drop-down menu in the spreadsheet upload tool (example below).

Screenshot of "US Census Identifiers" field checked on upload tool with 2012 selected from drop-down

Vintage Census Years

It is also possible to request boundary data for a vintage Census year. The following Census years are supported:

  • 2023 Census
  • 2022 Census
  • 2021 Census
  • 2020 Census
  • 2019 Census
  • 2018 Census
  • 2017 Census
  • 2016 Census
  • 2015 Census
  • 2014 Census
  • 2013 Census
  • 2012 Census
  • 2011 Census
  • 2010 Census
  • 2000 Census (only County, Place, Tract and Block FIPS codes)

GeoIDs and FIPS

Some federal datasets report data at the GeoID level. GeoIDs are concatenations of various levels of FIPS codes, depending on the dataset. GeoIDs, or FIPS codes, can be up to 40 digits. The more digits there are, the more granular of a measurement it is.

Geocodio returns FIPS codes, which can be matched to GeoIDs.

Let's use 580 Meyers St, Kettle Falls, WA 99141 as an example:

If your dataset gives a GeoID of this length... ...it translates to this combination of FIPS codes Example GeoID Geocodio Result Name
2 digits State 53 State FIPS
5 digits State + County 53065 County FIPS
11 digits State + County + Tract 53065950101 concatenate County FIPS + Tract Code; pre-concatenated for spreadsheet uploads as "Full FIPS (tract)"
12 digits State + County + Tract + Block Group 530659501012 concatenate County FIPS + Tract Code + Block Group
15 digits State + County + Tract + Block 530659501012022 concatenate County FIPS + Tract Code + Block Code; pre-concatenated for spreadsheet uploads as "Full FIPS (block)"
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