Getting tract level population estimates for multiple years

TractLevelPopEsts.R

library(tidycensus)
library(tidyverse)
#census_api_key("YOUR API KEY GOES HERE")
#Get an API key by going here: https://api.census.gov/data/key_signup.html


# First this tells you what variables are on the ACS
v17 <- load_variables(2017, "acs1")


# You can only get tract estimates within states
# You can only get one year of data at a time
# First setting up vectors of states and years
# Assuming we want to include DC
# Example is for getting data from 2010 to 2017, earlier than that is not possible through this method
# Note that these are 5 year estimates. Getting tract level estimates isn't possible for 1-year data


StateList <- c(state.abb, "DC")
YearList <- 2010:2017

StateCombo <- rep(StateList, each=length(YearList)) # We need each state replicated by the number of years
YearCombo <- rep(YearList, length(StateList)) # We need each year replicated by the number of states

PopEstsYearState <- function(Year, State){
  get_acs("tract", variables="B01001_001", year=Year, state=State, survey="acs5") %>%
    mutate(Year=Year) 
}

AllTractsAllYears <- 
  map2_df(YearCombo, StateCombo, PopEstsYearState) %>%
  rename(Population=estimate, MOE_Population=moe)