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Geography
You are here: Census.gov › Geography › Reference › Urban and Rural Classification › 2010 Census Urban and Rural Classification and Urban Area Criteria
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Definitions
Reference
- Centers of Population
- Change Notes
- County Adjacency File
- Federal Register Notices
- Gazetteer Files
- Geographic Codes
- Guide to State and Local Geography
- Incorporations, Mergers, Consolidations, and Disincorporations
- Resources for Mapping Census Data
- State Area Measurements
- Substantial County Changes
Geographic Concepts
2010 Census Urban and Rural Classification and Urban Area Criteria
The Census Bureau’s urban-rural classification is fundamentally a delineation of geographical areas, identifying both individual urban areas and the rural areas of the nation. The Census Bureau’s urban areas represent densely developed territory, and encompass residential, commercial, and other non-residential urban land uses.
For the 2010 Census, an urban area will comprise a densely settled core of census tracts and/or census blocks that meet minimum population density requirements, along with adjacent territory containing non-residential urban land uses as well as territory with low population density included to link outlying densely settled territory with the densely settled core. To qualify as an urban area, the territory identified according to criteria must encompass at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of which reside outside institutional group quarters. The Census Bureau identifies two types of urban areas:
- Urbanized Areas (UAs) of 50,000 or more people;
- Urban Clusters (UCs) of at least 2,500 and less than 50,000 people.
“Rural” encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area.
About the 2010 Urban Areas
Urban, Urbanized Area, Urban Cluster, and Rural Population, 2010 and 2000: United States
| Area | Number of 2010 Urban Areas |
Population | Percentage of Total Population | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2000 | 2010 | 2000 | ||
| United States | 3,573 | 308,745,538 | 281,421,906 | ||
| Urban | 249,253,271 | 222,360,539 | 80.7% | 79.0% | |
| Urbanized Areas | 486 | 219,922,123 | 192,323,824 | 71.2% | 68.3% |
| Urban Clusters | 3,087 | 29,331,148 | 30,036,715 | 9.5% | 10.7% |
| Rural | 59,492,267 | 59,061,367 | 19.3% | 21.0% | |
Urban, Urbanized Area, Urban Cluster, and Rural Population, 2010 and 2000: Puerto Rico
| Area | Number of 2010 Urban Areas |
Population | Percentage of Total Population | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2000 | 2010 | 2000 | ||
| Puerto Rico | 19 | 3,725,789 | 3,808,610 | ||
| Urban | 3,493,256 | 3,590,994 | 93.8% | 94.3% | |
| Urbanized Areas | 11 | 3,379,977 | 3,476,691 | 90.7% | 91.3% |
| Urban Clusters | 8 | 113,279 | 114,303 | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Rural | 232,533 | 217,616 | 6.2% | 5.6% | |
Urban Area Criteria for the 2010 Census
- Federal Register Notices containing the final Urban Area Criteria for the 2010 Census
- Differences Between the Census 2000 and 2010 Census Urban Area Criteria [PDF] or [TXT]
Lists of 2010 Census Urban Areas
- A national 2010 urban area file containing a list of all urbanized areas and urban clusters (including Puerto Rico and the Island Areas) sorted by UACE code [XLS] or [TXT]
- A national list of all 2010 urbanized areas (including Puerto Rico and the Island Areas) sorted by UACE code [XLS] or [TXT]
- A national list of all 2010 urban clusters (including Puerto Rico and the Island Areas) sorted by UACE code [XLS] or [TXT]
- A national, state-sorted list of all 2010 urbanized areas and urban clusters for the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Island Areas first sorted by state FIPS code, then sorted by UACE code [XLS] or [TXT]
- A national, state-sorted list of all 2010 urbanized areas for the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Island Areas first sorted by state FIPS code, then sorted by UACE code [XLS] or [TXT]
- A national, state-sorted list of all 2010 urban clusters for the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Island Areas first sorted by state FIPS code, then sorted by UACE code [XLS] or [TXT]
Lists of Population, Land Area, and Percent Urban and Rural in 2010 and Changes from 2000 to 2010
- Percent urban and rural in 2010 by state [XLS] or [TXT]
- Percent urban and rural in 2010 by state and county [XLS] or [TXT]
- Changes in urbanized areas from 2000 to 2010 [XLS] or [TXT]
Record layouts for lists of percent urban and rural in 2010 and changes from 2000 to 2010
Relationship Files for 2010 Census Urban Areas
The 2010 urban area relationship files provide simple relationships between the 2010 urban areas and other 2010 Census tabulation geography. From these files, data users may determine which urban areas exist within the other geographies and vice versa.
Other Census Urban Area Information - Maps, Shapefiles & References
- Reference Maps
- Thematic Maps
- Boundaries and shapefiles
- TIGER/Line® Shapefiles main page
- Cartographic Boundary Files (coming soon)
- 2010 Urban Areas Gazetteer File
- 2011 ESRI International Users Conference Presentation [PPT] or [PDF]
- Census 2000 Urban Areas
Contact Information
If you have questions about the 2010 Urban and Rural Classification and Urban Areas Criteria, please contact us via one of the methods listed on our Contact Us page.
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