A summary of the Census Block Boundary specification.
1.0 Introduction
The Census Block datasets are reported once per year by the United States Census. The data reflect the census blocks in the defined search region. The dataset is available to download through the Urban SDK Data Hub for the years 2015 - 2020.
Census Blocks Definition
Census blocks are statistical areas updated every ten years by computers. Computers analyze naturally occurring boundaries, like streams; manmade boundaries like roads or railroad tracks, and humanistic boundaries like school districts and county limits. Each time the boundaries connect to make a polygon, a census block is created. Census block creation is not dependent on population.
Census Blocks Parameters: Census.gov
2.0 Data Specification
The following table is the format in which downloaded Census Block Boundary data will be provided:
| Field |
Type |
Description |
|
|
String |
The GIS information required for the computer to read the mapping file |
|
|
Integer |
The unique identifier for the Census Block |
|
|
Float |
Area in square miles of the boundary |
|
|
String |
Name of the Census Block |
|
|
String |
Name of the state the Census Block resides in |
|
|
String |
Name of the county that the Census Block resides in |