I am pleased to share the updated context map DRAFT for your review and comments.Of course, review to note any obvious omissions or anomalies in the map. Also, please share your general thoughts on the look and feel of the map. The way we have it right now with the basemap labeled “Light Gray Canvas”, the building footprints show up as you zoom in. I find that very helpful to visually confirm the context.There are actually have many different criteria that can lead to classification. This detail was necessary to refine the map. You can check on and off the different criteria on the left to see how it impacts the map if you would like.There are many different considerations, but mostly context is defined by the development of buildings - how close the buildings are to the road, how densely they have been built together, and how large the building area is. Urban and Rural Village contexts tend to have more buildings close to the road and suburban contexts tend to have buildings further back. Here is the primary data considered: Immediate Building Density Immediate Building Area Density Immediate Building Count Wide Building Density Wide Building Area Density Wide Intersection Density Wide Segment Density Federal and State Urban Compact AreasThe “immediate” building information considers buildings that partially within 60 feet of the road centerline. For a sports analogy, that is about the distance from a baseball pitching rubber to home plate. The “wide” data looks at buildings, segments, and intersections in the general area 1/8 of a mile from centerline in all directions. That is about the distance of two football fields. Both types of data have value, especially when they are strategically used together.The Map is split into 5 contexts categories: Red - Urban Orange - Suburban Dark Green - Rural Village (Heavily Developed) Light Green - Rural Village (Moderately Developed) Blank – RuralThe red urban and the dark green village areas have exactly the same criteria except one is inside federal or state urban compact and one is outside both urban compacts. You will also notice some of the major arterial roads cutting through urban areas have been identified as suburban. Examples of this include William Clark Drive in Westbrook, Center Street and Minot Avenue in Auburn, and Pleasant Street in Brunswick. This typically occurs because the buildings are mostly built back further from the road.Important to note: We will need two “rural village” layers. We realized we need to separate how we treat the very densely developed villages like downtown Camden and the fringe villages like Searsmont and Jefferson.

Thank you for giving this map a look over and providing your feedback.

From the 2022 TIGER/Line Technical Documentation:Census blocks are statistical areas bounded on all sides by visible features (e.g., streets, roads, streams, and railroad tracks), and by non-visible boundaries (e.g., city, town, township, county limits, and short line-of-sight extensions of streets and roads). Generally, census blocks are small in area (e.g., a block in a city). Census blocks in suburban and rural areas may be large, irregular, and bounded by a variety of features (e.g., roads, streams, and/or transmission line rights-of-way). In remote areas, census blocks may encompass hundreds of square miles. Census blocks cover all territory in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas. Blocks do not cross the boundaries of any entity for which the Census Bureau tabulates data. (See Figures 12 and 13). Census Block Numbers—Census blocks are numbered uniquely within the boundaries of each state, county, census tract with a 4-character census block number. The first character of the tabulation block number identifies the block group. A block number can only be unique by using the decennial census state (STATEFP

This is a map of U.S. Census Blocks in the City of Buffalo. Blocks (Census Blocks) are statistical areas bounded by visible features, such as streets, roads, streams, and railroad tracks, and by nonvisible boundaries, such as selected property lines and city, township, school district, and county limits and short line-of-sight extensions of streets and roads. Generally, census blocks are small in area; for example, a block in a city bounded on all sides by streets. Census blocks in suburban and rural areas may be large, irregular, and bounded by a variety of features, such as roads, streams, and transmission lines. In remote areas, census blocks may encompass hundreds of square miles. Census blocks cover the entire territory of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas. Census blocks nest within all other tabulated census geographic entities and are the basis for all tabulated data.

U.S. Census Bureau released the 2020 Census block current boundaries referenced to Jan. 1, 2020.

This layer represents the boundaries of 2020 Census Blocks in Hamilton County.

Census blocks are: The smallest geographic area for which the Bureau of the Census collects and tabulates decennial census data. Statistical areas bounded by visible features such as roads, streams, and railroad tracks, and by nonvisible boundaries such as property lines, city, township, school district, county limits and short line-of-sight extensions of roads. The building blocks for all geographic boundaries the Census Bureau tabulates data for, such as tracts, places, and American Indian Reservations. Generally small in area. In a city, a census block looks like a city block bounded on all sides by streets. Census blocks in suburban and rural areas may be large, irregular, and bounded by a variety of features, such as roads, streams, and transmission lines. In remote areas, census blocks may encompass hundreds of square miles. Numbered uniquely with a four-digit census block number ranging from 0000 to 9999 nesting within each census tract, which nest within state and county. The first digit of the census block number identifies the block group. Block numbers beginning with a zero (in Block Group 0) are associated with water-only areas. Delineated by the U.S. Census Bureau once every ten years. An automated computer process looks for all visible and nonvisible features in our geographic database that should be a block boundary and creates a block each time those features create a polygon. The smallest level of geography you can get basic demographic data for, such as total population by age, sex, and race. Census blocks are not: Delineated based on population. In fact, many census blocks do not have any population.

Refer to the 'Current Geographic Boundaries Table' layer for a list of all current geographies and recent updates.

This dataset is the definitive version of the annually released statistical area 3 (SA3) boundaries as at 1 January 2025 as defined by Stats NZ. This version contains 929 SA3s, including 4 non-digitised SA3s.

The SA3 geography aims to meet three purposes:

1. approximate suburbs in major, large, and medium urban areas,
2. in predominantly rural areas, provide geographical areas that are larger in area and population size than SA2s but smaller than territorial authorities,
3. minimise data suppression.

SA3s in major, large, and medium urban areas were created by combining SA2s to approximate suburbs as delineated in the Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) Localities dataset. Some of the resulting SA3s have very large populations.

Outside of major, large, and medium urban areas, SA3s generally have populations of 5,000–10,000. These SA3s may represent either a single small urban area, a combination of small urban areas and their surrounding rural SA2s, or a combination of rural SA2s.

Zero or nominal population SA3s

To minimise the amount of unsuppressed data that can be provided in multivariate statistical tables, SA2s with fewer than 1,000 residents are combined with other SA2s wherever possible to reach the 1,000 SA3 population target. However, there are still a number of SA3s with zero or nominal populations.

Small population SA2s designed to maintain alignment between territorial authority and regional council geographies are merged with other SA2s to reach the 5,000–10,000 SA3 population target. These merges mean that some SA3s do not align with regional council boundaries but are aligned to territorial authority.

Small population island SA2s are included in their adjacent land-based SA3.

Island SA2s outside territorial authority or region are the same in the SA3 geography.

Inland water SA2s are aggregated and named by territorial authority, as in the urban rural classification.

Inlet SA2s are aggregated and named by territorial authority or regional council where the water area is outside the territorial authority.

Oceanic SA2s translate directly to SA3s as they are already aggregated to regional council.

The 16 non-digitised SA2s are aggregated to the following 4 non-digitised SA3s (SA3 code; SA3 name):

70001; Oceanic outside region, 70002; Oceanic oil rigs, 70003; Islands outside region, 70004; Ross Dependency outside region.

SA3 numbering and naming

Each SA3 is a single geographic entity with a name and a numeric code. The name refers to a suburb, recognised place name, or portion of a territorial authority. In some instances where place names are the same or very similar, the SA3s are differentiated by their territorial authority, for example, Hillcrest (Hamilton City) and Hillcrest (Rotorua District).

SA3 codes have five digits. North Island SA3 codes start with a 5, South Island SA3 codes start with a 6 and non-digitised SA3 codes start with a 7. They are numbered approximately north to south within their respective territorial authorities. When first created in 2025, the last digit of each code was 0. When SA3 boundaries change in future, only the last digit of the code will change to ensure the north-south pattern is maintained.

​

High-definition version

This high definition (HD) version is the most detailed geometry, suitable for use in GIS for geometric analysis operations and for the computation of areas, centroids and other metrics. The HD version is aligned to the LINZ cadastre.

​

Macrons

Names are provided with and without tohutō/macrons. The column name for those without macrons is suffixed ‘ascii’.

​

Digital data

Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007

​

Further information

To download geographic classifications in table formats such as CSV please use Ariā

For more information please refer to the Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023.

Contact: geography@stats.govt.nz

Refer to the 'Current Geographic Boundaries Table' layer for a list of all current geographies and recent updates.

This dataset is the definitive version of the annually released statistical area 2 (SA2) boundaries as at 1 January 2025 as defined by Stats NZ. This version contains 2,395 SA2s (2,379 digitised and 16 with empty or null geometries (non-digitised)).

SA2 is an output geography that provides higher aggregations of population data than can be provided at the statistical area 1 (SA1) level. The SA2 geography aims to reflect communities that interact together socially and economically. In populated areas, SA2s generally contain similar sized populations.

The SA2 should:

form a contiguous cluster of one or more SA1s,

excluding exceptions below, allow the release of multivariate statistics with minimal data suppression,

capture a similar type of area, such as a high-density urban area, farmland, wilderness area, and water area,

be socially homogeneous and capture a community of interest. It may have, for example:

• a shared road network,
• shared community facilities,
• shared historical or social links, or
• socio-economic similarity,

​

form a nested hierarchy with statistical output geographies and administrative boundaries. It must:

• be built from SA1s,
• either define or aggregate to define SA3s, urban areas, territorial authorities, and regional councils.

SA2s in city council areas generally have a population of 2,000–4,000 residents while SA2s in district council areas generally have a population of 1,000–3,000 residents.

In major urban areas, an SA2 or a group of SA2s often approximates a single suburb. In rural areas, rural settlements are included in their respective SA2 with the surrounding rural area.

SA2s in urban areas where there is significant business and industrial activity, for example ports, airports, industrial, commercial, and retail areas, often have fewer than 1,000 residents. These SA2s are useful for analysing business demographics, labour markets, and commuting patterns.

In rural areas, some SA2s have fewer than 1,000 residents because they are in conservation areas or contain sparse populations that cover a large area.

To minimise suppression of population data, small islands with zero or low populations close to the mainland, and marinas are generally included in their adjacent land-based SA2.

Zero or nominal population SA2s

To ensure that the SA2 geography covers all of New Zealand and aligns with New Zealand’s topography and local government boundaries, some SA2s have zero or nominal populations. These include:

• SA2s where territorial authority boundaries straddle regional council boundaries. These SA2s each have fewer than 200 residents and are: Arahiwi, Tiroa, Rangataiki, Kaimanawa, Taharua, Te More, Ngamatea, Whangamomona, and Mara.
• SA2s created for single islands or groups of islands that are some distance from the mainland or to separate large unpopulated islands from urban areas
• SA2s that represent inland water, inlets or oceanic areas including: inland lakes larger than 50 square kilometres, harbours larger than 40 square kilometres, major ports, other non-contiguous inlets and harbours defined by territorial authority, and contiguous oceanic areas defined by regional council.
• SA2s for non-digitised oceanic areas, offshore oil rigs, islands, and the Ross Dependency. Each SA2 is represented by a single meshblock. The following 16 SA2s are held in non-digitised form (SA2 code; SA2 name):

400001; New Zealand Economic Zone, 400002; Oceanic Kermadec Islands, 400003; Kermadec Islands, 400004; Oceanic Oil Rig Taranaki, 400005; Oceanic Campbell Island, 400006; Campbell Island, 400007; Oceanic Oil Rig Southland, 400008; Oceanic Auckland Islands, 400009; Auckland Islands, 400010 ; Oceanic Bounty Islands, 400011; Bounty Islands, 400012; Oceanic Snares Islands, 400013; Snares Islands, 400014; Oceanic Antipodes Islands, 400015; Antipodes Islands, 400016; Ross Dependency.

SA2 numbering and naming

Each SA2 is a single geographic entity with a name and a numeric code. The name refers to a geographic feature or a recognised place name or suburb. In some instances where place names are the same or very similar, the SA2s are differentiated by their territorial authority name, for example, Gladstone (Carterton District) and Gladstone (Invercargill City).

SA2 codes have six digits. North Island SA2 codes start with a 1 or 2, South Island SA2 codes start with a 3 and non-digitised SA2 codes start with a 4. They are numbered approximately north to south within their respective territorial authorities. To ensure the north–south code pattern is maintained, the SA2 codes were given 00 for the last two digits when the geography was created in 2018. When SA2 names or boundaries change only the last two digits of the code will change.

​

High-definition version

This high definition (HD) version is the most detailed geometry, suitable for use in GIS for geometric analysis operations and for the computation of areas, centroids and other metrics. The HD version is aligned to the LINZ cadastre.

​

Macrons

Names are provided with and without tohutō/macrons. The column name for those without macrons is suffixed ‘ascii’.

​

Digital data

Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007.

​

Further information

To download geographic classifications in table formats such as CSV please use Ariā

For more information please refer to the Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023.

Contact: geography@stats.govt.nz

Statistical Area 2 2023 update

SA2 2023 is the first major update of the geography since it was first created in 2018. The update is to ensure SA2s are relevant and meet criteria before each five-yearly population and dwelling census. SA2 2023 contains 135 new SA2s. Updates were made to reflect real world change of population and dwelling growth mainly in urban areas, and to make some improvements to their delineation of communities of interest.

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Description

This dataset is the definitive version of the annually released statistical area 2 (SA2) boundaries as at 1 January 2023 as defined by Stats NZ. This version contains 2,395 SA2s (2,379 digitised and 16 with empty or null geometries (non-digitised)).

​

SA2 is an output geography that provides higher aggregations of population data than can be provided at the statistical area 1 (SA1) level. The SA2 geography aims to reflect communities that interact together socially and economically. In populated areas, SA2s generally contain similar sized populations.

​

The SA2 should:

form a contiguous cluster of one or more SA1s,

excluding exceptions below, allow the release of multivariate statistics with minimal data suppression,

capture a similar type of area, such as a high-density urban area, farmland, wilderness area, and water area,

be socially homogeneous and capture a community of interest. It may have, for example:

​

• a shared road network,
• shared community facilities,
• shared historical or social links, or
• socio-economic similarity,

​

form a nested hierarchy with statistical output geographies and administrative boundaries. It must:

​

• be built from SA1s,
• either define or aggregate to define SA3s, urban areas, territorial authorities, and regional councils.

​

SA2s in city council areas generally have a population of 2,000–4,000 residents while SA2s in district council areas generally have a population of 1,000–3,000 residents.

​

In major urban areas, an SA2 or a group of SA2s often approximates a single suburb. In rural areas, rural settlements are included in their respective SA2 with the surrounding rural area.

​

SA2s in urban areas where there is significant business and industrial activity, for example ports, airports, industrial, commercial, and retail areas, often have fewer than 1,000 residents. These SA2s are useful for analysing business demographics, labour markets, and commuting patterns.

​

In rural areas, some SA2s have fewer than 1,000 residents because they are in conservation areas or contain sparse populations that cover a large area.

​

To minimise suppression of population data, small islands with zero or low populations close to the mainland, and marinas are generally included in their adjacent land-based SA2.

​

Zero or nominal population SA2s

To ensure that the SA2 geography covers all of New Zealand and aligns with New Zealand’s topography and local government boundaries, some SA2s have zero or nominal populations. These include:

​

• SA2s where territorial authority boundaries straddle regional council boundaries. These SA2s each have fewer than 200 residents and are: Arahiwi, Tiroa, Rangataiki, Kaimanawa, Taharua, Te More, Ngamatea, Whangamomona, and Mara.
• SA2s created for single islands or groups of islands that are some distance from the mainland or to separate large unpopulated islands from urban areas
• SA2s that represent inland water, inlets or oceanic areas including: inland lakes larger than 50 square kilometres, harbours larger than 40 square kilometres, major ports, other non-contiguous inlets and harbours defined by territorial authority, and contiguous oceanic areas defined by regional council.
• SA2s for non-digitised oceanic areas, offshore oil rigs, islands, and the Ross Dependency. Each SA2 is represented by a single meshblock. The following 16 SA2s are held in non-digitised form (SA2 code; SA2 name):

400001; New Zealand Economic Zone, 400002; Oceanic Kermadec Islands, 400003; Kermadec Islands, 400004; Oceanic Oil Rig Taranaki, 400005; Oceanic Campbell Island, 400006; Campbell Island, 400007; Oceanic Oil Rig Southland, 400008; Oceanic Auckland Islands, 400009; Auckland Islands, 400010 ; Oceanic Bounty Islands, 400011; Bounty Islands, 400012; Oceanic Snares Islands, 400013; Snares Islands, 400014; Oceanic Antipodes Islands, 400015; Antipodes Islands, 400016; Ross Dependency.

​

SA2 numbering and naming

Each SA2 is a single geographic entity with a name and a numeric code. The name refers to a geographic feature or a recognised place name or suburb. In some instances where place names are the same or very similar, the SA2s are differentiated by their territorial authority name, for example, Gladstone (Carterton District) and Gladstone (Invercargill City).

​

SA2 codes have six digits. North Island SA2 codes start with a 1 or 2, South Island SA2 codes start with a 3 and non-digitised SA2 codes start with a 4. They are numbered approximately north to south within their respective territorial authorities. To ensure the north–south code pattern is maintained, the SA2 codes were given 00 for the last two digits when the geography was created in 2018. When SA2 names or boundaries change only the last two digits of the code will change.

​

For more information please refer to the Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023.

​

Generalised version

This generalised version has been simplified for rapid drawing and is designed for thematic or web mapping purposes.

​

Macrons

Names are provided with and without tohutō/macrons. The column name for those without macrons is suffixed ‘ascii’.

​

Digital data

Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007.

​

To download geographic classifications in table formats such as CSV please use Ariā

The Suburb Locality layer is part of NZ Suburbs and Localities Dataset. This layer contains the identifier and key information of suburbs and localities data including names and types.

NZ Suburbs and Localities is an easy to use layer generated from the normalised NZ Suburbs and Localities Dataset. It describes the spatial extent and name of communities in urban areas (suburbs) and rural areas (localities) for navigation and location purposes.

The suburb and locality boundaries cover New Zealand including North Island, South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chatham Islands, and nearby offshore islands.

Each suburb and locality is assigned a name, major name, Territorial Authority and, if appropriate, additional in use names. A population estimate is provided for each suburb and locality by Stats NZ.

For more information please refer to the NZ Suburbs and Localities Guidance documents:

Data Dictionary Change Request Process Change Request Principles, Requirements and Rules Changes to NZ Suburbs and Localities can be requested by emailing addresses@linz.govt.nz

The Growth Centers data on the Future Land Use Map were developed for the Division of Planning, RI Statewide Planning Program as part of an update to a state land use plan. These data are included in the Plan as Figure 121-02-(01), Future Land Use Map. The growth centers were an end product of a GIS overlay analysis of land suitability and scenario planning for future growth. Initially the factors for centers included 9 urban communities; Providence, East Providence, Pawtucket, Cranston, Central Falls, Warwick, West Warwick, Newport and Woonsocket as potential urban centers as opposed to identifying specific neighborhoods in those municipalities. Historical downtowns and traditional mixed-use central business cores in urban fringe / suburban communities were included as potential town centers, as well as, some of the historical village downtowns and some traditional mixed-use cores in rural communities. All communities in the State either include one or more existing or potential centers or are within the Urban Services Boundary on the map. The growth centers shown in these data were selected by the Statewide Planning staff, the Technical Committee and the State Planning Council through a series of discussions at public meetings, and comments received at public hearings and workshops in the final adoption of Land Use 2025 in 2006. Centers depicted on the Future Land Use 2025 map are illustrative of potential new centers that may be established. It is not a intended as a comprehensive inventory of existing centers. Other centers may be illustrated and or proposed in municipal comprehensive plans. Full descriptions of the methodology for the GIS analysis and scenario planning can be found within the Technical Appendix D to Land Use 2025, Geographic Analysis for Land Available and Suitable for Development for Land Use 2025. Land Use 2025: State Land Use Policies and Plan was published by the RI Statewide Planning Program on April 13, 2006. The Plan directs the state and communities to concentrate growth inside the Urban Services Boundary (USB) and within potential growth centers in rural areas. It establishes different development approaches for urban and rural areas. This Map has several purposes and applications: It is intended to be used as a policy guide for directing growth to areas most capable of supporting current and future developed uses and to direct growth away from areas less suited for development. Secondly, the Map is a guide to assist the state and communities in making land use policies. It is important to note the Map is a generalized portrayal of state land use policy. It is not a statewide zoning map. Zoning matters and individual land use decisions are the prerogative of local governments. Growth Centers are envisioned to be areas that will encourage development that is both contiguous to existing development with low fiscal and environmental impacts. They are intended to be compact developed areas (existing or new) containing a defined central core that accommodate community needs for residential and economic functions. Centers are intended to provide optimum use of land and services, and offer a choice of diverse housing stock, economic functions, and cultural and governmental uses. Density will vary greatly between centers subject to site constraints; however, it is intended that they will share the common characteristic of compact development that capitalizes on existing infrastructure. Centers should reflect traditional New England development patterns with a human scale of blocks, streets, open spaces that offer walkability and access to transit where available. In suburban areas, centers should be distinguished from surrounding sprawling development by a closer proximity between residential and non-residential uses. In rural areas, centers should be surrounded by natural areas, farmland, or open space, and may have a mixed-use and or commercial area in the core for neighborhood-scale goods and services. The land use element is the over arching element in Rhode Island's State Guide Plan. The Plan articulates goals, objectives and strategies to guide the current and future land use planning of municipalities and state agencies. The purpose of the plan is to guide future land use and to present policies under which state and municipal plans and land use activities will be reviewed for consistency with the State Guide Plan. The Map is a graphical representation of recommendations for future growth patterns in the State. The Map contains a USB that shows where areas with public services supporting urban development presently exist, or are likely to be provided, through 2025. Also included on the map are growth centers which are potential areas for development and redevelopment outside of the USB. These data will be updated when plan is updated or upon an amendment approved by the State Planning Council.

This dataset includes 2020 census blocks as delineated by the U.S. Census Bureau and made available through their TIGER/Line files. Census blocks are statistical areas bounded on all sides by visible features (e.g., streets, roads, streams, railroad tracks), and by non-visible boundaries (e.g., city or town limits, short line-of-sight extensions of streets and roads). Generally, census blocks are small in area (e.g., a block in a city). However, census blocks in suburban and rural areas may be large, irregular, and bounded by a variety of features. In remote areas, they may encompass hundreds of square miles. Blocks do not cross the boundaries of any entity for which the Census Bureau tabulates data. Census blocks are numbered uniquely within the boundaries of each state, county, and census tract with a 4-character census block number. The first character of the tabulation block number identifies the block group. A block number can only be unique by using the decennial census state, county, census tract, and block codes combined. There is no consistency in block numbers from census to census. For more information about census geographies, see https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/data/tiger/tgrshp2020/TGRSHP2020_TechDoc_Ch4.pdf .This file is for reference use only. NCTCOG and its members are not responsible for errors or inaccuracies in the file.

Census blocks are statistical areas bounded on all sides by visible features (e.g., streets, roads, streams, and railroad tracks), and by non-visible boundaries (e.g., city, town, township, county limits, and short line-of-sight extensions of streets and roads). Generally, census blocks are small in area (e.g., a block in a city). Census blocks in suburban and rural areas may be large, irregular, and bounded by a variety of features (e.g., roads, streams, and/or transmission line rights-of-way). In remote areas, census blocks may encompass hundreds of square miles. Census blocks cover all territory in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas. Blocks do not cross the boundaries of any entity for which the Census Bureau tabulates data.Census Block Numbers—Census blocks are numbered uniquely within the boundaries of each state, county, census tract with a 4-character census block number. The first character of the tabulation block number identifies the block group. A block number can only be unique by using the decennial census state (STATEFP

This layer contains a unique geographic identifier (GEO_ID_BLK) for each block that is the key field for the data from censuses and surveys such as Decennial Census, Economic Census, American Community Survey, and the Population Estimates Program. Data from many of the Census Bureau’s surveys and censuses, are available at the Census Bureau’s public data dissemination website (https://data.census.gov/). All original TIGER/Line shapefiles and geodatabases with demographic data are available atThe TIGER/Line Shapefiles are extracts of selected geographic and cartographic information from the Census Bureau's Master Address File (MAF)/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) Database (MTDB). The shapefiles include information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The shapefiles include polygon boundaries of geographic areas and features, linear features including roads and hydrography, and point features. These shapefiles do not contain any sensitive data or confidential data protected by Title 13 of the U.S.C.Census blocks are statistical areas bounded on all sides by visible features such as streets, roads, streams, and railroad tracks, and by non-visible boundaries including city, town, and county boundaries. Generally, census blocks are small in area as a block in a city. However, Census blocks in suburban and rural areas may be large, irregular and bounded by a variety of features In remote areas, census blocks may encompass hundreds of square miles. Census Block Numbers—Census blocks are numbered uniquely within the boundaries of each state, county, census tract with a 4-character census block number. The first character of the tabulation block number identifies the block group. A block number can only be unique by using the decennial census state (STATEFP20), county (COUNTYFP20), census tract (TRACTCE20), and block (BLOCKCE20). The entire block number is the GEO_ID_BLK. There is no consistency in block numbers from census to census.Full documentation: https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/data/tiger/tgrshp2020/TGRSHP2020_TechDoc.pdf