📊 US Census 5-Year ACS Data Batch Downloader 📊

Easily fetch and process census data with this Python script.

🌟 Features:

1. 🌍 Fetches batches of data from the US Census Bureau from 2010-2019.
2. 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing GUI with color schemes.
3. 📈 Efficiently processes and melts data for easier use and creates an aggregate csv file that can be joined into ArcGIS, SPSS, Excel, etc.
4. 💾 Saves data locally in CSV format.

🐍 Setting Up Python and Using the Command Line 🖥️

If you're new to Python or haven't used the command line (terminal on macOS/Linux, Command Prompt or PowerShell on Windows) before, here's a quick guide to get you started:

🛠️ Installing Python:

1. Windows/Mac:

   • Go to Python's official website.
   • Download the latest version for your operating system.
   • Run the downloaded installer. Ensure the "Add Python to PATH" option is checked and then complete the installation.

2. Linux:

   • Most Linux distributions come with Python pre-installed. You can check by typing python3 --version in the terminal. If it's not installed:

     sudo apt-get update
     sudo apt-get install python3.8

🚀 Using the Command Line:

1. Opening the Command Line:

   • Windows: Press Windows + R, type cmd, and press Enter.
   • Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type terminal, and press Enter.
   • Linux: Usually Ctrl + Alt + T or search for terminal in the app menu.

2. Navigating Directories:

   • cd [Directory Name]: Change to a specific directory.
   • cd ..: Go up one directory.
   • ls (macOS/Linux) or dir (Windows): List all files in the current directory.

3. Running Python Scripts:

   • After navigating to the directory containing your Python script, use:

     python [script_name].py

   • If you encounter issues on some systems, try using python3 instead of python.

4. Installing Python Libraries:

   • Use pip (Python's package installer) to install libraries. For example:

     pip install requests

   • If pip doesn't work, try using pip3 instead.

📚 Additional Resources:

• Python for Beginners
• Command Line Basics

---

Now you're ready to run the Census Data Fetcher script! Next, read the How to Use section for instructions.

🚀 How to Use:

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/cafeTechne/acs5year_place_downloader

cd acs5year_place_downloader

pip install requests pandas tkinter

python acs_downloader.py

Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the GUI to:
    Select the desired year
    Pick a state
    Choose a place
    Fetch the required table data

🎉 The data will be processed and saved locally in a specified directory.

🔧 Configuration:

You can adjust the following configurations:

Color Scheme: Modify the color constants at the top of the script (e.g., BACKGROUND_COLOR, FOREGROUND_COLOR, etc.) to fit your aesthetic needs.

API Key: You might want to replace the existing API key (API_KEY constant) if needed. I left mine in for classmates in GPY324 & GPY209 to use until the end of the semester as the process of obtaining an API key would introduce an undue hardship on 
my fellow time-constrained students.

State Files and Mapping: The list STATE_FILES and dictionary STATE_MAPPING can be updated to add or modify the existing state files or mappings.

💡 Note: Please star if this is useful and add feature requests as bugs and I'll see what I can do to extend this app to work for your research.

🔐 License: Why?