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Census 2000



Census 2000 Urban and Rural Classification

The Census Bureau identifies and tabulates data for the urban and rural populations and their associated areas solely for the presentation and comparison of census statistical data. If a federal, state, local, or tribal agency uses these urban and rural criteria in a nonstatistical program, it is that agency's responsibility to ensure that the results are appropriate for such use. It also is that agency's responsibility to ensure that it has provided the necessary tools for use in that agency's programs.

The Census Bureau will be glad to answer questions about the Census 2000 urban and rural criteria and products. However, the Census Bureau is not qualified to provide information or assistance to users concerning the uses of urban and/or rural data in the programs of other agencies, nor does it have the resources to perform research to determine whether or not a locality or specific address is inside or outside an urbanized area or urban cluster.

The Census Bureau has produced several products to help users locate Census 2000 Urban Areas and Urban Clusters. See below for more information.

Urban and Rural Classification

For Census 2000, the Census Bureau classifies as "urban" all territory, population, and housing units located within an urbanized area (UA) or an urban cluster (UC). It delineates UA and UC boundaries to encompass densely settled territory, which consists of:

In addition, under certain conditions, less densely settled territory may be part of each UA or UC.

The Census Bureau's classification of "rural" consists of all territory, population, and housing units located outside of UAs and UCs. The rural component contains both place and nonplace territory. Geographic entities, such as census tracts, counties, metropolitan areas, and the territory outside metropolitan areas, often are "split" between urban and rural territory, and the population and housing units they contain often are partly classified as urban and partly classified as rural.

Census 2000 Urban Area Criteria

The Census Bureau is providing information about the Census 2000 Urban Area Criteria and the process used in delineating Census 2000 Urban Areas. We also are providing a synopsis of the differences between the 1990 and Census 2000 criteria.

Census 2000 Urbanized Area and Urban Cluster Information

This page provides links to the May 1, 2002 Federal Register Notice announcing the results of the Census 2000 urban/rural delineations and Corrections to the May 1, 2002 Notice of Qualifying Urban Areas. It also provides links to lists of Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters, lists of the Corrected Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters, a list of Urban Area Central Places, and the list of Major Airports referenced in the delineation process.

Locating Urbanized Area and Urban Cluster Boundaries

Information about products, including TIGER/Line files, boundary files and maps, available to assist data users in locating Urbanized Area and Urban Cluster boundaries.

Contact Information

If you have questions regarding the criteria for Census 2000 urban and rural classifications, please contact the Geography Division at ua@geo.census.gov. If you have questions about geographic products, such as maps and TIGER/Line files, please contact the Geography Division at geography@geo.census.gov or by telephone at 301-763-1128.

NOTE: Census Bureau staff cannot answer specific questions about which areas or addresses are inside or outside urbanized areas or urban clusters. Users will need to determine that information themselves from the Census Bureau products described earlier on this Web page.


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Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Geography Division
Created: April 30, 2002