Does MSA/MD or census tract information change often? The reason I'm asking is that our loan operations person who helps oversee CRA with me is trying to geocode our January and February 2005 deals but there isn't any 2005 geocode data on the fffiec.gov website.

For many years it didn't really change much at all but over the past few years it has been changing every year. I haven't heard of any changes for 2005. I think you would be safe to start your geocoding using the 2004 info.

Use 2004

Every 10 years when the census is taken you can expect to have what we just went through. You will get the initial census data and in about a year the census bureau will make a number of adjustments to the data which may effect tract income classifications and demographic information.

This time around we were subject also t a massive change in the defination of MSA's. The MSA changes come from a different governmant department and each year in June some changes can be made. Usually not as draqstic as redefining MSA boundary's.

Hopefully we will now have clear sailing until 2011 when the next census data will take effect.

The FFIEC issued the final 2004 tract income classifications in November, 2004. Other than the decennial census, the only time the tract classifications would change would be if the MSA's changed. That determination is made by OMB. This happened in 2004 and affected about 15% of the census tracts. I doubt you would see changes again this year. You're safe using the latest definitions available. But beware, lots of lenders who relied on the FFIEC website inadvertantly geocoded with the old 1990 tract definitions during the first 4-5 months after the new defintions were implemented because the default geocoding on the FFIEC website was the 1990 tracts, not the new 2000 tracts. This has been changed, but it shows you have to be careful even when you get it from the "horse's mouth".