The Block Assignment Files (BAFs) are among the geographic products that the Census Bureau provides to states and other data users containing the small area census data necessary for legislative redistricting. The BAFs contain tabulation block codes and geographic area codes for a specific geographic entity type.

Overview

The 2020 Redistricting Data Prototype (P.L. 94-171) Block Assignment Files (BAFs): 2018 End-to-End Test and corresponding Name Lookup Tables are created for Providence County, Rhode Island specifically for use by states to help them prepare for redistricting following the 2020 Census. The Census Redistricting Data Program releases prototype Census data, TIGER/Line shapefiles, and maps in advance of the actual releases from the 2020 Census for the purpose of providing states and other stakeholders the opportunity to build their redistricting systems. By doing so, states can load the final 2020 Census geography and data upon receipt in early 2021 and immediately begin the redistricting process. BAFs will be created for each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Each file will contain 2020 Census tabulation block codes and geographic area codes for a specific geographic entity type. Each BAF will contain every block within the given state, even if the block is not within one of the geographic areas represented in the file. For those blocks where no geographic area is present, the block is listed, followed by one or more line breaks (depending on the file layout for the specific geographic area type). The 2020 Redistricting Data Prototype (P.L. 94-171) BAFs: 2018 End-to-End Test contain data for Providence, RI only.