ZIP Code Tabulation Area

Last updated

ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are statistical entities developed by the United States Census Bureau for tabulating summary statistics. These were introduced with the Census 2000 and continued with the 2010 Census and 5 year American Community Survey [1] data sets. This new entity was developed to overcome the difficulties in precisely defining the land area covered by each ZIP code. Defining the extent of an area is necessary in order to tabulate census data for that area.

Contents

ZCTAs are generalized area representations of the United States Postal Service (USPS) ZIP code service areas, but are not the same as ZIP codes. Individual USPS ZIP codes can cross state, place, county, census tract, census block group and census block boundaries, so the Census Bureau asserts that "there is no correlation between ZIP codes and Census Bureau geography". [2] Moreover, the USPS frequently realigns, merges, or splits ZIP codes to meet changing needs. These changes are usually not reflected in the annual TIGER releases. Each ZCTA is constructed by aggregating the Census 2010 blocks whose addresses use a given ZIP code. In assembling census statistical units to create ZCTAs, the Census Bureau took the ZIP code used by the majority of addresses in each census unit at the time the data was compiled. As a result, some addresses end up with a ZCTA code that is different from their ZIP code. ZCTAs are not developed for ZIP codes that comprise only a small number of addresses. [3] Several ZCTAs represent ZIPs that no longer exist due to realignment by the USPS.

There are approximately 42,000 ZIP Codes and 32,000 ZCTAs. The reason that there is not one ZCTA for every ZIP Code is that only populated areas are included in the Census data, and thus ZIP Codes that only serve PO Boxes have no corresponding ZCTA. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

ZIP Code Numeric postal code used in the United States

A ZIP Code is a postal code used by the United States Postal Service (USPS). Introduced in 1963, the basic format consisted of five digits. In 1983, an extended ZIP+4 code was introduced; it included the five digits of the ZIP Code, followed by a hyphen and four digits that designated a more specific location.

United States Census Bureau Bureau of the United States responsible for the census and related statistics

The United States Census Bureau is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce and its director is appointed by the President of the United States.

A census tract, census area, census district or meshblock is a geographic region defined for the purpose of taking a census. Sometimes these coincide with the limits of cities, towns or other administrative areas and several tracts commonly exist within a county. In unincorporated areas of the United States these are often arbitrary, except for coinciding with political lines.

Canadian Lakes, Michigan Census-designated place & unincorporated community in Michigan, United States

Canadian Lakes is an unincorporated community in Mecosta County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The area is mostly within the southwest portion of Morton Township, southwest of Mecosta and east of Stanwood.

A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such as self-governing cities, towns, and villages, for the purposes of gathering and correlating statistical data. CDPs are populated areas that generally include one officially designated but currently unincorporated community, for which the CDP is named, plus surrounding inhabited countryside of varying dimensions and, occasionally, other, smaller unincorporated communities as well. CDPs include small rural communities, colonias located along the Mexico–United States border, and unincorporated resort and retirement communities and their environs.

Alba, Michigan Census-designated place & unincorporated community in Michigan, United States

Alba is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 295. Situated just north of Mancelona along U.S. Route 131, Alba is divided between Star Township on the east and Chestonia Township on the west.

Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing format used by the United States Census Bureau to describe land attributes and census tracts

Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing, or TIGER, or TIGER/Line is a format used by the United States Census Bureau to describe land attributes such as roads, buildings, rivers, and lakes, as well as areas such as census tracts. TIGER was developed to support and improve the Bureau's process of taking the Decennial Census.

Deepwater, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Deepwater is an unincorporated community located within Pennsville Township, in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. The community is located at the east end of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Deepwater is the location of the United States Postal Service area covering ZIP code 08023. At the 2000 census, the ZCTA had a population of 345.

Hinkley, California Unincorporated community in California, United States

Hinkley is an unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert, in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Barstow, 59 miles (95 km) east of Mojave, 47 miles (76 km) north of Victorville and about 121 miles (195 km) driving distance north-northeast of Los Angeles. Just north of California State Route 58, the residents have faced concerns over hexavalent chromium in their well water from the world's largest plume of this cancer-causing chemical.

Hewitt, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Hewitt is an unincorporated community located within West Milford Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 07421. It is named for Abram Hewitt.

Oldwick, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Oldwick is an unincorporated community located within Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08858. As of the 2000 United States Census, the population for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 08858 was 177. The 2010 census data indicate a population of 144, comprising 68 housing units.

Gillette, New Jersey Place in Morris County, New Jersey, United States

Gillette is an unincorporated community located within Long Hill Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 07933.

New Gretna, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

New Gretna is an unincorporated community located within Bass River Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08224.

Indian Wells, Arizona Unincorporated community in Arizona, United States

Indian Wells is an unincorporated community in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. Indian Wells Elementary School is located in the town, it serves 600 students. It is also the name of the local Navajo chapter of the Navajo Nation Council. Indian Wells is served by a post office with the ZIP code of 86031. The ZIP Code Tabulation Area for ZIP Code 86031 had a population of 1,856 at the 2010 census, with 255 in Indian Wells itself.

New Monmouth, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

New Monmouth is an unincorporated community located within Middletown Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 07748.

Dorothy, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Dorothy is an unincorporated community located within Weymouth Township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08317.

Seabrook, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Seabrook is an unincorporated community located within Upper Deerfield Township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08302. The unincorporated community and the census-designated Place Seabrook Farms within it are each named after Charles F. Seabrook, a businessman who at one point ran the largest irrigated truck farm in the world in this region.

Holmeson, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Holmeson is an unincorporated community located within Millstone Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As it is located along County Route 537 through which the Monmouth–Ocean county line runs down the center, portions of the community are also located in Jackson Township. Owing to its location near Interstate 195 and Six Flags Great Adventure, the community is mostly made up of gas stations, restaurants, and small businesses though the Jackson Premium Outlets occupies land just south of the community.

Birmingham, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Birmingham is an unincorporated community located within Pemberton Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for ZIP Code 08011 had a population of 33. Though sparsely populated, it houses a post office and a Lanxess chemical facility.

Allaire, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Allaire is an unincorporated community located within Wall Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for ZIP Code 07727 had a population of 7,050.

References

  1. ↑ "American Community Survey".
  2. ↑ ZIP Code Information, U.S. Census Bureau
  3. ↑ United States Census Bureau ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs)
  4. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau data provided by GreatData.com" . Retrieved 5 February 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.