Abstract

A crosswalk dataset matching US ZIP codes to corresponding census tracts

Documentation

The denominators used to calculate the address ratios are the ZIP code totals. When a ZIP is split by any of the other geographies, that ZIP code is duplicated in the crosswalk file.

**Example: **ZIP code 03870 is split by two different Census tracts, 33015066000 and 33015071000, which appear in the tract column. The ratio of residential addresses in the first ZIP-Tract record to the total number of residential addresses in the ZIP code is .0042 (.42%). The remaining residential addresses in that ZIP (99.58%) fall into the second ZIP-Tract record.

So, for example, if one wanted to allocate data from ZIP code 03870 to each Census tract located in that ZIP code, one would multiply the number of observations in the ZIP code by the residential ratio for each tract associated with that ZIP code.

https://redivis.com/fileUploads/4ecb405e-f533-4a5b-8286-11e56bb93368%3E" alt="">(Note that the sum of each ratio column for each distinct ZIP code may not always equal 1.00 (or 100%) due to rounding issues.)

Census tract definition

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.

Further reading

The following article demonstrates how to more effectively use the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) United States Postal Service ZIP Code Crosswalk Files when working with disparate geographies.

Wilson, Ron and Din, Alexander, 2018. “Understanding and Enhancing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s ZIP Code Crosswalk Files,” Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research, Volume 20 Number 2, 277 – 294. URL: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/cityscpe/vol20num2/ch16.pdf

Contact information

Questions regarding these crosswalk files can be directed to Alex Din with the subject line HUD-Crosswalks.

Acknowledgement

This dataset is taken from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) office: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/usps_crosswalk.html#codebook

These datasets contain measures of internet access per United States census tract and ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey five-year estimate. Key variables include the number and percent of households per tract or ZCTA with any type of internet subscription, with broadband internet, and with a computer or smartphone.

Abstract

Dataset quality **: Medium/high quality dataset, not quality checked or modified by the EIDC team

Census data plays a pivotal role in academic data research, particularly when exploring relationships between different demographic characteristics. The significance of this particular dataset lies in its ability to facilitate the merging of various datasets with basic census information, thereby streamlining the research process and eliminating the need for separate API calls.

The American Community Survey is an ongoing survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, which provides detailed social, economic, and demographic data about the United States population. The ACS collects data continuously throughout the decade, gathering information from a sample of households across the country, covering a wide range of topics

Methodology

The Census Data Application Programming Interface (API) is an API that gives the public access to raw statistical data from various Census Bureau data programs.

We used this API to collect various demographic and socioeconomic variables from both the ACS and the Deccenial survey on different geographical levels:

ZCTAs:

ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are generalized areal representations of United States Postal Service (USPS) ZIP Code service areas. The USPS ZIP Codes identify the individual post office or metropolitan area delivery station associated with mailing addresses. USPS ZIP Codes are not areal features but a collection of mail delivery routes.

Census Tract:

Census Tracts are small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a county or statistically equivalent entity that can be updated by local participants prior to each decennial census as part of the Census Bureau’s Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP).

Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people. A census tract usually covers a contiguous area; however, the spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Census tract boundaries are delineated with the intention of being maintained over a long time so that statistical comparisons can be made from census to census.

Block Groups:

Block groups (BGs) are the next level above census blocks in the geographic hierarchy (see Figure 2-1 in Chapter 2). A BG is a combination of census blocks that is a subdivision of a census tract or block numbering area (BNA). (A county or its statistically equivalent entity contains either census tracts or BNAs; it can not contain both.) A BG consists of all census blocks whose numbers begin with the same digit in a given census tract or BNA; for example, BG 3 includes all census blocks numbered in the 300s. The BG is the smallest geographic entity for which the decennial census tabulates and publishes sample data.

Census Blocks:

Census blocks, the smallest geographic area for which the Bureau of the Census collects and tabulates decennial census data, are formed by streets, roads, railroads, streams and other bodies of water, other visible physical and cultural features, and the legal boundaries shown on Census Bureau maps.

Census ZIP Code Tabulation AreasThis feature layer, utilizing National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA) data from the U.S. Census Bureau, displays ZIP Code Tabulation Areas. Per the USCB, “ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are approximate area representations of U.S. Postal Service (USPS) ZIP Code service areas that the Census Bureau creates to present statistical data for each decennial census. Data users should not use ZCTAs to identify the official USPS ZIP Code for mail delivery. The USPS makes periodic changes to ZIP Codes to support more efficient mail delivery.”Tabulation Area: 90069NGDAID: 58 (Series Information for 2020 Census 5-Digit ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA5) National TIGER/Line Shapefiles, Current)OGC API Features Link: (Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas - OGC Features) copy this link to embed it in OGC Compliant viewersFor more information, please visit: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs)For feedback please contact: Esri_US_Federal_Data@esri.comNGDA Data SetThis data set is part of the NGDA Governmental Units, and Administrative and Statistical Boundaries Theme Community. Per the Federal Geospatial Data Committee (FGDC), this theme is defined as the "boundaries that delineate geographic areas for uses such as governance and the general provision of services (e.g., states, American Indian reservations, counties, cities, towns, etc.), administration and/or for a specific purpose (e.g., congressional districts, school districts, fire districts, Alaska Native Regional Corporations, etc.), and/or provision of statistical data (census tracts, census blocks, metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, etc.). Boundaries for these various types of geographic areas are either defined through a documented legal description or through criteria and guidelines. Other boundaries may include international limits, those of federal land ownership, the extent of administrative regions for various federal agencies, as well as the jurisdictional offshore limits of U.S. sovereignty. Boundaries associated solely with natural resources and/or cultural entities are excluded from this theme and are included in the appropriate subject themes."For other NGDA Content: Esri Federal Datasets

This dataset contains measures of traffic volume per census tract and ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) in the United States from 1963 to 2019 (primarily 1997 to 2019). High traffic volume may be used as a proxy for heavy traffic, high traffic speeds, and impediments to walking or biking. The dataset contains measures of the average, maximum, and minimum traffic volume per year or per ZCTA per year. These figures are available for all streets, highways, and non-highways. In the ZCTA dataset, data is collected intermittently across locations over time, therefore traffic volume has been interpolated for years in which no measures are available. Data Source: Traffic volume measurements are derived from Kalibrate's TrafficMetrix database accessed via Esri Demographics. Census tract boundaries come from the 2010 TIGER/Line shapefiles. ZCTA boundaries come from the 2019 TIGER/Line shapefiles.

These datasets contain measures of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics by U.S. census tract for the years 1990-2022 and ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) for the years 2008-2022. Example measures include population density; population distribution by race, ethnicity, age, and income; income inequality by race and ethnicity; and proportion of population living below the poverty level, receiving public assistance, and female-headed or single parent families with kids. The datasets also contain a set of theoretically derived measures capturing neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and affluence, as well as a neighborhood index of Hispanic, foreign born, and limited English.

This dataset contains model-based ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level estimates in GIS-friendly format. PLACES covers the entire United States—50 states and the District of Columbia—at county, place, census tract, and ZIP Code Tabulation Area levels. It provides information uniformly on this large scale for local areas at four geographic levels. Estimates were provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Population Health, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. PLACES was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in conjunction with the CDC Foundation. Data sources used to generate these model-based estimates are Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2022 or 2021 data, Census Bureau 2020 population counts, and American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 estimates. The 2024 release uses 2022 BRFSS data for 36 measures and 2021 BRFSS data for 4 measures (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cholesterol screening, and taking medicine for high blood pressure control among those with high blood pressure) that the survey collects data on every other year. These data can be joined with the Census 2021 ZCTA boundary file in a GIS system to produce maps for 40 measures at the ZCTA level. An ArcGIS Online feature service is also available for users to make maps online or to add data to desktop GIS software. https://cdcarcgis.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=3b7221d4e47740cab9235b839fa55cd7

This dataset contains measures of the number and density of health care services per United States Census Tract or ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) from 1990 through 2021. The dataset includes four separate files for four different geographic areas (GIS shapefiles from the United States Census Bureau). The four geographies include:● Census Tract 2010 ● Census Tract 2020● ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 2010 ● ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 2020Information about which dataset to use can be found in the Usage Notes section of this document.

This dataset contains model-based census tract level estimates for the PLACES project 2020 release in GIS-friendly format. The PLACES project is the expansion of the original 500 Cities project and covers the entire United States—50 states and the District of Columbia (DC)—at county, place, census tract, and ZIP Code tabulation Areas (ZCTA) levels. It represents a first-of-its kind effort to release information uniformly on this large scale for local areas at 4 geographic levels. Estimates were provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Population Health, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. The project was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in conjunction with the CDC Foundation. Data sources used to generate these model-based estimates include Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2018 or 2017 data, Census Bureau 2010 population estimates, and American Community Survey (ACS) 2014-2018 or 2013-2017 estimates. The 2020 release uses 2018 BRFSS data for 23 measures and 2017 BRFSS data for 4 measures (high blood pressure, taking high blood pressure medication, high cholesterol, and cholesterol screening). Four measures are based on the 2017 BRFSS data because the relevant questions are only asked every other year in the BRFSS. These data can be joined with the census tract 2015 boundary file in a GIS system to produce maps for 27 measures at the census tract level. An ArcGIS Online feature service is also available at https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=8eca985039464f4d83467b8f6aeb1320 for users to make maps online or to add data to desktop GIS software.

This dataset contains model-based census tract level estimates for the PLACES 2021 release in GIS-friendly format. PLACES is the expansion of the original 500 Cities project and covers the entire United States—50 states and the District of Columbia (DC)—at county, place, census tract, and ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) levels. It represents a first-of-its kind effort to release information uniformly on this large scale for local areas at 4 geographic levels. Estimates were provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Population Health, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. PLACES was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in conjunction with the CDC Foundation. Data sources used to generate these model-based estimates include Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2019 or 2018 data, Census Bureau 2010 population estimates, and American Community Survey (ACS) 2015–2019 or 2014–2018 estimates. The 2021 release uses 2019 BRFSS data for 22 measures and 2018 BRFSS data for 7 measures (all teeth lost, dental visits, mammograms, cervical cancer screening, colorectal cancer screening, core preventive services among older adults, and sleeping less than 7 hours a night). Seven measures are based on the 2018 BRFSS data because the relevant questions are only asked every other year in the BRFSS. These data can be joined with the census tract 2015 boundary file in a GIS system to produce maps for 29 measures at the census tract level. An ArcGIS Online feature service is also available for users to make maps online or to add data to desktop GIS software. https://cdcarcgis.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=024cf3f6f59e49fe8c70e0e5410fe3cf

This dataset contains model-based census tract level estimates for the PLACES 2022 release in GIS-friendly format. PLACES covers the entire United States—50 states and the District of Columbia (DC)—at county, place, census tract, and ZIP Code Tabulation Area levels. It provides information uniformly on this large scale for local areas at 4 geographic levels. Estimates were provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Population Health, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. PLACES was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in conjunction with the CDC Foundation. Data sources used to generate these model-based estimates include Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2020 or 2019 data, Census Bureau 2010 population estimates, and American Community Survey (ACS) 2015–2019 estimates. The 2022 release uses 2020 BRFSS data for 25 measures and 2019 BRFSS data for 4 measures (high blood pressure, taking high blood pressure medication, high cholesterol, and cholesterol screening) that the survey collects data on every other year. These data can be joined with the census tract 2015 boundary file in a GIS system to produce maps for 29 measures at the census tract level. An ArcGIS Online feature service is also available for users to make maps online or to add data to desktop GIS software. https://cdcarcgis.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=3b7221d4e47740cab9235b839fa55cd7

This collection contains measures of land cover (e.g., low-, medium-, or high-density development, forest, wetland, open water) derived from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and aggregated by United States census tract and ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA). For each land type, land cover is measured both in total square meters and as a proportion of all land of that type within the tract or the ZCTA.

This web map contains ZIP Code points, ZIP Code boundaries, and 2020 U.S. Census Tract boundaries for the United States, including all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The data is maintained by Esri Demographics (Esri DM) and sourced from ArcGIS Data and Maps, providing a comprehensive view of geographic and demographic distributions across the country. Data Layers Included:

Census Tracts (2020) – Defined polygon boundaries containing 2020 Census population data, Census codes, and Esri Updated Demographics. These tracts serve as small, stable geographic areas used for demographic analysis. ZIP Code Points – Point-based locations representing U.S. ZIP Codes, including postal names, ZIP Code types, population estimates, and area size. The points are sourced from TomTom (March 2023) and the population estimates are from Esri Demographics. This layer is updated annually. ZIP Code Boundaries – Polygon representations of ZIP Code areas, useful for mapping service areas, jurisdictional boundaries, and demographic studies. This layer is updated annually. The boundaries are sourced from TomTom (March 2023) and the population estimates are from Esri Demographics.

Data Source and Usage Rights: The data used in this hosted feature layer is provided via ArcGIS Data and Maps. The datasets within ArcGIS Data and Maps are subject to varying redistribution rights granted by Esri’s third-party data suppliers. Users must consult the Redistribution Rights document to determine permitted uses, applicable disclaimers, attribution requirements, and other conditions of use. This dataset may be used and redistributed with proper metadata and attribution in accordance with the Esri Master License Agreement. A downloadable layer package for 2020 Census Tracts is available here: 🔗 2020 Census Tract Layer Package Public Information Access: The Texas Public Information Act grants the public the right to access government records, except where certain exceptions apply. The public information officer may not ask why the records are requested. 🔗 Request public records online: Austin Public Information Requests This work is licensed under the Esri Master License Agreement.

This dataset contains measures of the number and density of post offices and banks per United States Census Tract or ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) from 1990 through 2021. The dataset includes four separate files for four different geographic areas (GIS shapefiles from the United States Census Bureau). The four geographies include: Census Tract 2010 Census Tract 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 2010 ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 2020Information about which dataset to use can be found in the Usage Notes section of this document.

Prior research has demonstrated that access to parks and greenspace can have a positive impact on many aspects of and contributors to health, including physical activity levels (Kaczynski et al., 2007), healthy aging (Finlay, 2015), and sense of well-being (Larson et al., 2016). Neighborhood parks can also contribute to sense of community (Gómez, 2015). These datasets describe the number and area of parks in each census tract or each ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) in the United States. Measures include the total number of parks, park area, and proportion of park area within each census tract or ZCTA.

This dataset contains measures of the number and density of hospitals per United States Census Tract or ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) in 2023. The dataset includes four separate files for four different geographic areas (GIS shapefiles from the United States Census Bureau). The four geographies include:Census Tract 2010Census Tract 2020ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 2010ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 2020Information about which dataset to use can be found in the Usage Notes section of the user guide.

This dataset contains measures of the number and density of dollar stores per United States Census Tract or ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) from 1990 through 2021. The dataset includes four separate files for four different geographic areas (GIS shapefiles from the United States Census Bureau). The four geographies include:● Census Tract 2010 ● Census Tract 2020● ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 2010 ● ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 2020Information about which dataset to use can be found in the Usage Notes section of this document.

This dataset contains model-based census tract estimates. PLACES covers the entire United States—50 states and the District of Columbia—at county, place, census tract, and ZIP Code Tabulation Area levels. It provides information uniformly on this large scale for local areas at four geographic levels. Estimates were provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Population Health, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. PLACES was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in conjunction with the CDC Foundation. The dataset includes estimates for 40 measures: 12 for health outcomes, 7 for preventive services use, 4 for chronic disease-related health risk behaviors, 7 for disabilities, 3 for health status, and 7 for health-related social needs. These estimates can be used to identify emerging health problems and to help develop and carry out effective, targeted public health prevention activities. Because the small area model cannot detect effects due to local interventions, users are cautioned against using these estimates for program or policy evaluations. Data sources used to generate these model-based estimates are Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2022 or 2021 data, Census Bureau 2020 population data, and American Community Survey 2018–2022 estimates. The 2024 release uses 2022 BRFSS data for 36 measures and 2021 BRFSS data for 4 measures (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cholesterol screening, and taking medicine for high blood pressure control among those with high blood pressure) that the survey collects data on every other year. More information about the methodology can be found at www.cdc.gov/places.

This dataset contains model-based ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level estimates. PLACES covers the entire United States—50 states and the District of Columbia—at county, place, census tract, and ZIP Code Tabulation Area levels. It provides information uniformly on this large scale for local areas at four geographic levels. Estimates were provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Population Health, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. PLACES was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in conjunction with the CDC Foundation. The dataset includes estimates for 40 measures: 12 for health outcomes, 7 for preventive services use, 4 for chronic disease-related health risk behaviors, 7 for disabilities, 3 for health status, and 7 for health-related scocial needs. These estimates can be used to identify emerging health problems and to help develop and carry out effective, targeted public health prevention activities. Because the small area model cannot detect effects due to local interventions, users are cautioned against using these estimates for program or policy evaluations. Data sources used to generate these model-based estimates are Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2022 or 2021 data, Census Bureau 2020 population data, and American Community Survey 2018–2022 estimates. The 2024 release uses 2022 BRFSS data for 36 measures and 2021 BRFSS data for 4 measures (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cholesterol screening, and taking medicine for high blood pressure control among those with high blood pressure) that the survey collects data on every other year. More information about the methodology can be found at www.cdc.gov/places.

Abstract

A crosswalk matching US ZIP codes to corresponding CBSA (core-based statistical area)

Documentation

The denominators used to calculate the address ratios are the ZIP code totals. When a ZIP is split by any of the other geographies, that ZIP code is duplicated in the crosswalk file.

**Example: **ZIP code 03870 is split by two different Census tracts, 33015066000 and 33015071000, which appear in the tract column. The ratio of residential addresses in the first ZIP-Tract record to the total number of residential addresses in the ZIP code is .0042 (.42%). The remaining residential addresses in that ZIP (99.58%) fall into the second ZIP-Tract record.

So, for example, if one wanted to allocate data from ZIP code 03870 to each Census tract located in that ZIP code, one would multiply the number of observations in the ZIP code by the residential ratio for each tract associated with that ZIP code.

https://redivis.com/fileUploads/4ecb405e-f533-4a5b-8286-11e56bb93368%3E" alt="">(Note that the sum of each ratio column for each distinct ZIP code may not always equal 1.00 (or 100%) due to rounding issues.)

CBSA definition

A core-based statistical area (CBSA) is a U.S. geographic area defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that consists of one or more counties (or equivalents) anchored by an urban center of at least 10,000 people plus adjacent counties that are socioeconomically tied to the urban center by commuting. Areas defined on the basis of these standards applied to Census 2000 data were announced by OMB in June 2003. These standards are used to replace the definitions of metropolitan areas that were defined in 1990. The OMB released new standards based on the 2010 Census on July 15, 2015.

Further reading

The following article demonstrates how to more effectively use the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) United States Postal Service ZIP Code Crosswalk Files when working with disparate geographies.

Wilson, Ron and Din, Alexander, 2018. “Understanding and Enhancing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s ZIP Code Crosswalk Files,” Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research, Volume 20 Number 2, 277 – 294. URL: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/cityscpe/vol20num2/ch16.pdf

Contact authors

Questions regarding these crosswalk files can be directed to Alex Din with the subject line HUD-Crosswalks.

Acknowledgement

This dataset is taken from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) office: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/usps_crosswalk.html#codebook