US Census Data

Overview of census geography and mapping resources

Geography Reference

Introduction to the Social Explorer

Common Geography

US Regions

 

 

 

Nested Areas (Large to Small):

  • Nation
  • Region
  • Division
  • State
  • County
  • County Subdivision
  • Census Tract
  • Census Block Group
  • Census Block

Non-Nested Areas

  • Congressional District
  • Metropolitan Area
  • Place
  • PUMA
  • Urban Area
  • ZCTA (ZIP Code)

Census Geography

All Census data is provided for specific geographic areas. When looking for data, you must choose the dataset that contains your data, the specific variables you are interested in, and the geography for which your data is collected. Geographic areas (also known as summary levels) include legal (state, county, municpal) administrative (ZIP codes, school districts) and statistical (census tracts, census blocks, PUMAs) entities.

Interactive Maps

GIS Data

Census geography boundary files that you can download for use within a Geographic Information System (GIS)

Introduction to Census Geography