You can use Geocodio to convert addresses to Census blocks, tracts, block groups, and MSAs. This can be used for matching to FFIEC data.
There are a few things to keep in mind when doing this.
Every year, the FFIEC releases flat files of their data. This data can be downloaded or used via their online geocoder. They release documentation with these flat files, and it's important to check their documentation to see which Census year they've used in creating that flat file. The flat file year rarely matches the Census tract year.
| FFIEC Flat File Year | Census Boundaries Year | Documentation Link |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | Documentation |
| 2023 | 2020 | Documentation |
| 2022 | 2020 | Documentation |
| 2021 | 2020 | Documentation |
| 2020 | 2017 | Documentation |
| 2017-2019 | 2017 | Documentation |
Geocoding is not an exact science, and different geocoders can lead to different results. In rare cases, a point being placed in the street in front of a house can result in a different Census tract than point placed exactly on top of the house.
The FFIEC Geocoder was powered by the Census Bureau's TIGER/Line dataset until 2023. It now uses a composite of data sources.
The Census Bureau's own geocoder is at the "range interpolated" level of accuracy, rather than the individual house level. This means its highest level of accuracy is a point in front of the house on the street.
Geocodio uses thousands of data sets, primarily data gathered by local, city, county, and state governments. Most of Geocodio's results are at the parcel level — i.e., the exact house, or a point in front of the house on the street — and we always return accuracy information with results. This information is not returned with the Census geocoder.
Therefore there are cases where Geocodio will place an address differently than the FFIEC or Census geocoders, which can result in a different Census block. (If the points are being placed in the same place, we encourage you to check the Census years — see above.)
From our conversations with customers working with FFIEC compliance, it is common to use 2-3 different geocoders for analysis. We encourage you to analyze your results to determine whether they are suitable for your purposes.