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The 2007 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year data release provides data products for a set of geographic areas with a population of 65,000 or more. The 2005-2007 ACS 3-year data release provides data products for geographic areas with a population of 20,000 or more. The population sizes for both the 1-year and 3-year data products are based on the July 1, 2007 population estimates from the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program.
The Census Bureau strives to produce information for the geographic areas that are useful to a wide spectrum of data users. For example, the Census Bureau presents data summaries for the nation's many legal and administrative entities such as states (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico), American Indian and Alaska Native areas, counties and municipios, minor civil divisions (MCDs), incorporated places, and congressional districts.
Data products are also available for other geographic entities. In cooperation with state and local agencies, the Census Bureau identifies and delineates geographic entities referred to as, "statistical areas." These include census regions and divisions, urbanized areas (UAs) and zonas urbanas, census designated places (CDPs), and Public Use Microdata Sample Areas (PUMAs). In addition, data are available for 15 geographic components. Geographic components are the total type of the geographic area (such as rural) in another geographic area (e.g. state).
On September 23rd, the Census Bureau will release ACS data for over 6,500 geographic areas that meet the 65,000 or more population threshold for the 1-year estimate. On December 9th, the Census Bureau will also release ACS data for over 13,500 geographic areas that meet the 20,000 or more population threshold for the 3-year estimates. For many types of geographic areas, the release of 3-year estimates allows a much larger number of areas to receive estimates. For example, 520 places are available for 1-year data while 2,081 are available for 3-year data. Table 1a shows the type of geographic area and its summary level code that will be published in the 1-year and 3-year ACS data products, and includes the counts for each type. Table 1b is the same tables as Table 1a but is shown for the geographic components.
| Summary Level Code | Type of Geographic Area | Areas with a Population of 65,000 or More* | Areas with a Population of 20,000 or More* | Total Number of Entities for this Type of area | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | Percent of all such areas | Count | Percent of all such areas | |||
| 010 | United States | 1 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | 1 |
| 020 | Region | 4 | 100.0 | 4 | 100.0 | 4 |
| 030 | Division | 9 | 100.0 | 9 | 100.0 | 9 |
| 040 | State | 52 | 100.0 | 52 | 100.0 | 52 |
| 050 | County 1 | 800 | 24.9 | 1,882 | 58.5 | 3,219 |
| 060 | State-County-County Subdivision | 187 | 0.9 | 999 | 4.7 | 21,171 |
| 160 | Place | 520 | 2.1 | 2,081 | 8.2 | 25,292 |
| 230 | State-Alaska Native Regional Corporation | 3 | 25.0 | 4 | 33.3 | 12 |
| 250 | American Indian Area/Alaska Native Area/Hawaiian Home Land | 15 | 2.5 | 36 | 5.9 | 607 |
| 310 | Metropolitan Statistical Area/Micropolitan Statistical Area | 510 | 53.6 | 922 | 96.8 | 952 |
| 312 | Metropolitan Statistical Area/Micropolitan Statistical Area-State-Principal City | 367 | 2.0 | 774 | 4.2 | 18,635 |
| 314 | Metropolitan Statistical Area/Micropolitan Statistical Area-Metropolitan Division | 29 | 100.0 | 29 | 100.0 | 29 |
| 330 | Combined Statistical Area | 126 | 100.0 | 126 | 100.0 | 126 |
| 335 | Combined New England City and Town Area | 9 | 90.0 | 10 | 100.0 | 10 |
| 350 | New England City and Town Area | 25 | 58.1 | 40 | 93.0 | 43 |
| 352 | New England City and Town Area-State-Principal City | 21 | 4.3 | 48 | 9.7 | 494 |
| 355 | New England City and Town Area (NECTA)-NECTA Division | 9 | 100.0 | 9 | 100.0 | 9 |
| 400 | Urban Area | 394 | 10.8 | 854 | 23.4 | 3,646 |
| 500 | Congressional District - 110th | 437 | 100.0 | 437 | 100.0 | 437 |
| 795 | State-Public Use Microdata Area (5%) | 2,098 | 99.9 | 2,101 | 100.0 | 2,101 |
| 950 | State-School District (Elementary) | 73 | 2.9 | 287 | 11.3 | 2,547 |
| 960 | State-School District (Secondary) | 91 | 15.1 | 212 | 35.2 | 603 |
| 970 | State-School District (Unified) | 786 | 7.0 | 2,804 | 25.1 | 11,174 |
| TOTAL | 6,566 | 7.2 | 13,721 | 15.0 | 91,173 | |
1 County equivalents include Alaska boroughs, Louisiana parishes, Puerto Rico municipios, and independent cities in 4 states.
* Estimates based on geographic boundaries as of January 1, 2007 and population sizes from the July 1, 2007 Census Bureau Population estimates.
Note: There are more than 2,000 Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs), which are special, non-overlapping areas that partition a state. State governments drew the PUMA boundaries for the Census 2000 sample PUMS files. When originally designed, each PUMA contained a population of about 100,000. Due to the population displacement in the greater New Orleans area caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Louisiana PUMAs 1801, 1802, and 1905 no longer meet the 65,000- population threshold for single-year estimates. Louisiana PUMAs 1801 and 1802 are both contained in Orleans Parish, and have respective current population estimates of 17,013 and 33,862. Louisiana PUMA 1905 is made up of St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes and has a current population estimate of 33,457.
| Code | Type of Geographic Area | Areas with a Population of 65,000 or More* | Areas with a Population of 20,000 or More* | Total Number of Entities for this Type of area | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | Percent of all such areas | Count | Percent of all such areas | |||
| Geographic Component | ||||||
| 01 | Urban** | 65 | 97.0 | 66 | 98.5 | 67 |
| 43 | Rural** | 64 | 97.0 | 65 | 98.5 | 66 |
| 52 | In metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area** | 65 | 97.0 | 66 | 98.5 | 67 |
| 55 | Not in metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area** | 56 | 90.3 | 60 | 96.8 | 62 |
| 56 | In metropolitan statistical area** | 65 | 97.0 | 66 | 98.5 | 67 |
| 57 | In metropolitan statistical area-in principal city** | 64 | 95.5 | 66 | 98.5 | 67 |
| 58 | In metropolitan statistical area-not in principal city** | 64 | 97.0 | 65 | 98.5 | 66 |
| 59 | Not in metropolitan statistical area** | 62 | 96.9 | 63 | 98.4 | 64 |
| 60 | In micropolitan statistical area** | 61 | 96.8 | 62 | 98.4 | 63 |
| 61 | In micropolitan statistical area-in principal city** | 55 | 87.3 | 61 | 96.8 | 63 |
| 62 | In micropolitan statistical area-not in principal city** | 60 | 95.2 | 61 | 96.8 | 63 |
| 89 | American Indian reservation and trust land-Federal Tribe*** | 1 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | 1 |
| 91 | Oklahoma tribal statistical area*** | 1 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | 1 |
| 92 | Tribal designated statistical area*** | 1 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | 1 |
| 93 | Alaska Native village statistical area*** | 1 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | 1 |
| 94 | State designated American Indian statistical area*** | 1 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 686 | -- | 706 | -- | 720 | |
* Estimates based on geographic boundaries as of January 1, 2007 and population sizes from the July 1, 2007 Census Bureau Population estimates.
**These geographic components are provided for the nation, census regions, census divisions, and states (summary levels 010, 020, 030, and 040).
***These geographic components are provided for the nation (summary level 010) only.
The Geographic Terms and Concepts used in the American Community Survey are the same as other Census Bureau products with the exception of those listed below. See the Census 2000 Geographic Terms and Concepts [PDF] at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/glossry2.pdf or the Geographic Areas Reference Manual (GARM - vintage 1990) at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/garm.html for definitions of other geographic terms and concepts. The ACS is conducted in the United States and Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, the survey is known as the Puerto Rico Community Survey or PRCS.
Combined New England City and Town Area (CNECTA) - Adjacent New England City and Town Areas (see glossary term New England City and Town Area) that have a high degree of employment interchange may be combined to form Combined New England City and Town Areas (or CNECTAs). New England City and Town Areas that are part of a CNECTA retain their separate identities.
Combined Statistical Area (CSA) - Defined by the federal Office of Management and Budget for use by federal statistical agencies according to the Census data, adjacent metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas may be combined to form a CSA if the areas have a high degree of employment interchange. Each metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area retains its own identity.
Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) - Core Based Statistical Area is a collective term for both metropolitan and micropolitan areas.
Metropolitan Division - A metropolitan statistical area with population greater than 2.5 million may be divided into smaller groups known as metropolitan divisions.
Metropolitan Statistical Area/Micropolitan Statistical Area - Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas (metro and micro areas) are geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by Federal statistical agencies in collecting, tabulating, and publishing Federal statistics. A metro area contains a core urban area of 50,000 or more population, and a micro area contains an urban core of at least 10,000 (but less than 50,000) population. Each metro or micro area consists of one or more counties and includes the counties containing the core urban area, as well as any adjacent counties that have a high degree of social and economic integration (as measured by commuting to work) with the urban core.
New England City and Town Area (NECTA) - is a geographic entity defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by Federal statistical agencies in describing aspects of the New England region in the United States. NECTA is based on the concept of a core area with a large population nucleus, plus adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that core. Similar to the metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, a metropolitan NECTA has an urban core of at least 50,000 population, while a micropolitan NECTA has an urban core of at least 10,000 inhabitants but less than 50,000.
New England City and Town Area (NECTA) Division - A New England City and Town Area with population greater than 2.5 million may be divided into smaller groups known as NECTA Divisions.
State Designated Tribal Statistical Area (SDTSA) - Statistical entities for state recognized American Indian tribes that do not have a state recognized land base (reservation). SDTSAs are identified and delineated for the U.S. Census Bureau by a state liaison identified by the governor's office in each state. Formerly known as State Designated American Indian Statistical Area (SDAISA).
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2004 Geography Notes [PDF]
2003 Geography Notes [PDF]
2002 Geography Notes [PDF]
2001 Geography Notes [PDF]