ArcGIS Pro method for simple area weighting interpolation

[Bethpc9]

What method (using ArcGIS Pro 2.7) would you propose for carrying out simple area weighting interpolation (also called areal weighted interpolation)? 

I do not want the intricate Areal Interpolation with models as is offered through the Geostatistical Wizard. My project is comparing a simple AWI to a dasymetric method; transferring population count from census tract to a raster format (after which it can be applied to any areal unit).

So I simply need to create a raster output whereby each grid cell is assigned a population value based on the percentage area of the host/source areal unit (census tract). 

[DanPatterson]

not sure but

Tabulate Intersection (Analysis)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

or one of the similar tools in that toolset

[Bethpc9]

Thanks Dan - I think you're definitely onto something there. I couldn't quite figure out how to apply it so have gone a long way around: 

• Converted my census polygons to raster
• Used Zonal Statistics as Table to count the number of pixels in each polygon 
• Divided each census polygon 'population' by number of pixels to get population per pixel
• Used Zonal Statistics again, this time using a different set of polygons (my target zones) to 'sum' the values of those population pixels. 

This was probably a very clumsy way around. Please correct me if this could have been done a different way. 

[DanPatterson]

The only concern would be your 3rd step.  You have spread the population amongst all the pixels which may not reflect the original distribution (aka, density)

[Bethpc9]

Thanks Dan, definitely a warranted concern. Fortunately my data is population 'count', and the project is trying to provide a better alternative to simple area weighting interpolation to avoid this concern. But I'm currently trying to do this more simple areal weighting as a base to compare methods to. 

Hope this makes a bit more sense in context?