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Geography Boundaries by Year

Vintage of Geographic Areas for ACS Estimates

The ACS typically publishes estimates using the latest available geographic boundaries (also known as "vintages"). For ACS 5-year estimates, use the last year of the estimate period to determine the vintage. For example, the following datasets use the same vintages of geographic boundaries:

  • 2022 ACS 1-year estimates
  • 2018-2022 ACS 5-year estimates

To learn more about geographic concepts used in the ACS, check out our geographic handbook Geography and the American Community Survey: What Data Users Need to Know.

2022
  • 2022
  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
2022

Legal Areas

Legally defined geographic areas used in the ACS are updated on an annual basis from a variety of programs, including: the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS), the Redistricting Data Program and the School District Review Program

Summary Level
Geographic Area
Vintage of Geographic Area for 2022 ACS Estimate Year

040    

State and State Equivalent

January 1, 2022

050

County or equivalent (Alaska boroughs, Louisiana parishes, Puerto Rico municipios, independent cities)

January 1, 2022


County Subdivision

067

Township, Minor Civil Division (MCD)/Barrio and Barrio-Pueblo

January 1, 2022


Place

160

Incorporated Place

January 1, 2022


American Indian/Alaska Native/Hawaiian Home Land

230

Alaska Native Regional Corporations (ANRCs)

January 1, 2022

250/252/254

Federal American Indian Reservation (federal AIR)

January 1, 2022

250/252

State American Indian Reservation (state AIR)

January 1, 2022

251

American Indian Tribal Subdivision, federal AIR

January 1, 2022

250/254

Hawaiian Home Land (HHL)

January 1, 2022


Other Legal Areas

500

Congressional District, Delegate District DC, Resident Commissioner District PR

118th Congress of the United States

610/620

State Legislative Districts (Upper and Lower Chambers)

2022 Legislative Session Year

950/960/970

School District (Elementary, Secondary, Unified)

January 1, 2022

170

Consolidated City

January 1, 2022

Statistical Areas

For statistical areas, boundary changes are mostly associated with updates from each decennial census. Statistical areas are designed to have stable boundaries over time.

Summary Level
Geographic Area
Vintage of Geographic Area for 2022 ACS Estimate Year

050

County Equivalent (Census Areas in Alaska)

January 1, 2022


County Subdivision

060

Census County Division (CCD)

January 1, 2022


Place

160

Census Designated Place (CDP)/Zona Urbana and Comunidad

January 1, 2022


American Indian/Alaska Native/Hawaiian Home Land

250/252

Tribal Designated Statistical Area (TDSA)

2020 Census

250/252

State Designated Tribal Statistical Area (SDTSA)

2020 Census

250/252

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Area (OTSA)

2020 Census

251

American Indian Tribal Subdivision (within OTSA)

2020 Census

256

Tribal Tract

2020 Census/1

258

Tribal Block Group

2020 Census/1

250/252

Alaska Native Village Statistical Area (ANVSA)

2020 Census


Other Statistical Areas

310

Metropolitan Statistical Area/Micropolitan Statistical Area

March 6, 2020/2,/3

312

Metropolitan Statistical Area/Micropolitan Statistical Area - Principal City

March 6, 2020/2,/3

350

New England City and Town Area (NECTA)

March 6, 2020#

352

New England City and Town Area - Principal City

March 6, 2020#

400

Urban Area

2020 Census

140

Census Tract

2020 Census/1

150

Census Block Group

2020 Census/1

795

Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA)

2020 Census

860

5-digit ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA)

2020 Census

 

/1Changes to the boundaries of legal areas may cause complementary changes to the boundaries of selected statistical areas.

/2While the American Community Survey (ACS) data generally reflect the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) definitions of metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas; in certain instances the names, codes, and boundaries of the principal cities shown in ACS tables may differ from the OMB definitions due to differences in the effective dates of the geographic entities.

/3The Census Bureau is planning on publishing the updated boundaries for this geographic summary level with the 2023 ACS release.

# NECTA Geography will be discontinued starting with the ACS 2023 data release. For more information refer to the Federal Register Notice.

Page Last Revised - March 13, 2024
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