The U. S. Census uses many spatial units to analyze and aggregate data. Below are examples of the different units available through NHGIS, listed in order of scale:
SEE ALSO Note on using Spatial Data
*Units marked with an asterisk may be larger than, or cross boundaries of larger scale units
About : The United States is divided into four regions: Northeast , South, Midwest, and West (including Alaska and Hawaii).
Spatial Scope : United States and the District of Columbia. Does not include Puerto Rico other territories and dependencies
Use: Regions are used as analytic units in the Decennial Census, American Community Survey (ACS), Current Population Survey (CPS), Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners (SBO), and the Population Estimates Program.
About : The United States is divided into 85,074 tracts. A detail of Baltimore City is shown above.
Spatial Scope : 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Use: Tracts are used as analytic units in the Decennial Census, American Community Survey (ACS), Current Population Survey (CPS), Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners (SBO), and the Population Estimates Program.
About : The United States is divided into 242,180 block groups in 2020. A detail of Baltimore City is shown above.
Spatial Scope : 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Use: Census block groups are used as analytic units in the Decennial Census, American Community Survey (ACS), Current Population Survey (CPS), Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners (SBO), and the Population Estimates Program.
About : Census blocks are the smallest spatial analytic unit produced by he U. S. Census Bureau. The United States is divided into 8,180,866 blocks in 2020. A detail of Baltimore City is shown above.
Spatial Scope : 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Use: Census block groups are used as analytic units in the Decennial Census, American Community Survey (ACS), Current Population Survey (CPS), Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners (SBO), and the Population Estimates Program.
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Twelfth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Eleventh Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Tenth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Ninth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Eighth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Seventh Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Sixth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Fifth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Fourth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Third Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Second Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 First Grade
School Attendance Area for 2011-2012 Kindergarten
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Twelfth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Eleventh Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Tenth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Ninth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Eighth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Seventh Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Sixth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Fifth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Fourth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Third Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Second Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 First Grade
School Attendance Area for 2010-2011 Kindergarten
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Twelfth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Eleventh Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Tenth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Ninth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Eighth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Seventh Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Sixth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Fifth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Fourth Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Third Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Second Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 First Grade
School Attendance Area for 2009-2010 Kindergarten
