Census Designated Place (CDP) Program for Census 2000Proposed Criteria

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

[Docket No. 960521143-6143-01]

Census Designated Place (CDP) Program for Census 2000--Proposed

Criteria

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Program Revisions and Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY: Census designated places (CDPs) are statistical geographic

entities, defined in conjunction with each decennial census, consisting

of a closely settled, locally recognized concentration of population

that is identified by name. The Census Bureau uses CDPs to tabulate and

disseminate information about several thousand localities that

otherwise would not be identified as places in decennial census data

products.

Although not as numerous as incorporated places, CDPs have been

important geographic entities since the Census Bureau first introduced

them for the 1950 census. In 1990, more than 29 million people in the

United States lived in CDPs. To determine the inventory of CDPs, the

Census Bureau offers a program to local participants, such as American

Indian tribal officials and state-designated agencies, whereby they can

update the list and geographic definition of CDPs defined during the

previous census, and suggest new CDPs according to criteria developed

and promulgated by the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau then reviews

the resulting CDP suggestions for conformance with these criteria.

As the first step in this process, the Census Bureau is requesting

comments on its proposed criteria for the delineation of CDPs in

conjunction with Census 2000. These criteria will apply to the 50

states, American Indian and Alaska Native areas, Puerto Rico, and all

other Island Territories in Census 2000 except American Samoa.1

The Census Bureau may modify, and if necessary reject, a CDP that does

not meet the criteria established following this notice.

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1 There are no CDPs in American Samoa because incorporated

villages cover its entire territory and population.

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In addition to the proposed criteria, this notice includes a

description of the changes from the criteria used for the 1990 census

and a list of definitions of key terms used in the criteria.

DATES: Any suggestions or recommendations concerning the proposed

criteria should be submitted in writing by July 11, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Director, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Joel L. Morrison, Chief, Geography

Division, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233-7400, telephone

(301) 457-1132, or e-mail to ``[email protected].''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CDP delineation criteria have evolved

over the past five decades in response to decennial census practices

and the preferences of data users. After each decennial census, the

Census Bureau, in consultation with data users, reviews and revises

these criteria. Then, before the next decennial census, the Census

Bureau offers state, tribal, and local officials an opportunity to

correct, update and otherwise improve the universe of CDPs.

In July and August 1995, the Census Bureau issued invitations to

local groups and agencies to participate in the delineation of

statistical geographic entities for Census 2000. These included

regional planning agencies, Councils of Governments, county planning

agencies, officials of American Indian tribes, and officials of the 12

nonprofit Alaska Native Regional Corporations.

By early 1997, the Census Bureau will provide program participants

with maps and detailed guidelines for delineating CDPs for Census 2000.

A. Criteria for Delineating CDPs for Census 2000

The Census Bureau proposes the following criteria for use in

determining the areas that will qualify for designation as CDPs based

on the results of Census 2000.

1. General characteristics

A CDP constitutes a closely settled center of population that is

named and not part of an incorporated place. It has a distinct nucleus

of residences and a relatively high population density. It generally

consists of a contiguous cluster of census blocks and comprises a

single piece of territory.

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2. Names

The CDP name should be one that is recognized and used locally. A

CDP may not have the same name as an adjacent or nearby incorporated

place. It is permissible to change the name of a 1990 CDP if the new

name provides a better identification of the community.

3. Geographic relationships

A CDP may be located in more than one county, but it may never be

located either partially or entirely within an incorporated place or

another CDP. It may not cross the boundaries of an American Indian

reservation (AIR) or a tribal jurisdiction statistical area (TJSA). A

CDP also may never be delineated with portions in more than one state;

that is, a state line is always a CDP boundary, with one exception: if

a state line splits a community that is located on an AIR, then each

portion of the community can qualify as a separate CDP regardless of

its population, provided the combined population of all portions is at

least 100 people.

4. Boundaries

The boundaries of a CDP are always census block boundaries.

Normally, CDP boundaries follow visible features and county lines, but

in some instances they follow incorporated place boundaries and other

nonvisible block boundary features. A CDP encompasses, as far as

possible, all adjacent closely settled territory associated with the

CDP name.

Most changes to the boundaries of CDPs occur because of recent

development, or annexations of former CDP territory by an adjacent

incorporated place.

5. Population thresholds

Usually, a CDP qualifies for delineation because it meets a minimum

population threshold. (There are no maximum population limitations on a

CDP.) Several minimum population thresholds apply to CDPs (see the

table below); these may vary by state and statistically equivalent

entity or because the CDP is located in an urbanized area (UA), AIR, or

TJSA.

Population Threshold Criteria for Qualification of CDPs (Census 2000)

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Minimum

Population

Geographic Area(s) Geographic Location/Type of Entity (number of

residents)

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The 48 conterminous States:

inside UAs.......................................... 2,500

outside UAs 1,000

on AIRs and TJSAs 100

county seats none

Alaska:

inside UAs.......................................... 2,500

outside UAs......................................... 25

borough (county) seats.............................. none

Hawaii:

inside UAs.......................................... 300

outside UAs......................................... 300

county seats........................................ none

Puerto Rico:

comunidades......................................... 1,000

zonas urbanas....................................... none

Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands of the

United States;

all CDPs............................................ 300

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In Puerto Rico, the minimum of 1,000 residents applies to all

comunidades, whether located inside or outside UAs. There is no minimum

population threshold for the zonas urbanas, which are similar to county

seats.

In the case of seasonal and resort communities that are identified

by local officials and located outside UAs, the Census Bureau will use

a minimum threshold of 500 housing units rather than 1,000 residents to

qualify them as CDPs.

B. Changes in the Criteria for Census 2000

Most provisions of the CDP criteria remain unchanged from those

used in conjunction with the 1990 census, with the few exceptions

summarized below.

1. The Census Bureau will lower the minimum population threshold

for CDPs on AIRs from 250 to 100 residents. (The Census Bureau also

will apply the minimum population of 100 residents to CDPs on TJSAs.)

Based on discussions with tribal officials regarding their data needs,

it is clear that this lower population threshold will provide a better

representation of the settlement concentrations found in American

Indian areas. The Census Bureau estimates there will be approximately

100 new CDPs because of this provision.

2. The Census Bureau will recognize a seasonal or resort community

as a CDP when it has fewer than 1,000 permanent residents but at least

500 housing units. This measure will allow the identification of

communities that have the physical attributes of a population center

but cannot qualify as CDPs because their maximum population is not

resident there at the time of the decennial census (usually late

winter-early spring). Program participants must submit information

showing the potential CDP is a seasonal or resort community. In

addition, it must be located outside of a UA. The Census Bureau

estimates there may be 200-300 new CDPs because of this provision.

3. The Census Bureau will waive the minimum population size for any

CDP that is a county seat. This measure recognizes the importance of

small unincorporated settlements as geographic focal points in counties

that are predominantly rural in character. The Census Bureau estimates

that there will be fewer than 100 new CDPs because of this provision.

4. The Census Bureau will simplify its data presentations by

eliminating CDPs that are geographically coextensive with an Alaska

Native village statistical area (ANVSA) having the same name. This will

eliminate duplicate place names and population totals that refer to the

same geographic area. In 1990, 64 out of 217 ANVSAs were coextensive

with a CDP. These ANVSAs will retain their status as places for Census

2000, but not also as CDPs. The Census Bureau will continue to

recognize as separate CDPs those communities that overlap the

boundaries of ANVSAs, provided that the two entities are

distinguishable by name.

Definitions of Key Terms

Alaska Native village statistical area (ANVSA)--The densely settled

extent of an Alaska Native village (ANV). The ANV is a type of local

governmental unit that constitutes an association, band, clan,

community, tribe, or village recognized pursuant to the Alaska Native

Claims Settlement Act of 1972.

American Indian reservation (AIR)--An American Indian entity with

boundaries established by treaty, statute, and/or executive or court

order and over which American Indians have governmental jurisdiction.

Designations such as colonies, communities, pueblos, rancherias,

reservations, and reserves apply to AIRs.

Census block--An area of variable extent, generally bounded by

visible features such as streets, roads, streams, and railroad tracks,

and also delimited by nonvisible boundaries, such as city, town,

township, and county limits, and occasionally defined by property

lines, and short, imaginary extensions of streets and roads or point-

to-point lines.

Coextensive--Descriptive of two or more geographic entities that

cover exactly the same area, with all boundaries conjoint.

Comunidad--A CDP in Puerto Rico for the 1990 census; called an

aldea or a ciudad in previous censuses.

Conjoint--Descriptive of a boundary shared by two adjacent

geographic entities.

Contiguous--Descriptive of geographic areas that are adjacent to

one

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another, sharing either a common boundary or point of contact.

Housing unit--A house, an apartment, a mobile home or trailer, a

group of rooms or a single room occupied as a separate living quarter

or, if vacant, intended for occupancy as a separate living quarter.

Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat

separately from any other residents of the building and which have

direct access from outside the building or through a common hall.

Incorporated place--A type of governmental unit, incorporated under

state law as a city, town (except in New England, New York, and

Wisconsin), borough (except in Alaska and New York), or village, having

legally prescribed limits, powers, and functions.

Island Territory--An entity, other than a state or the District of

Columbia, under the jurisdiction of the United States. For Census 2000,

this will include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands,

Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and several small

islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The Census Bureau

treats each Island Territory as the statistical equivalent of a state.

Municipio--A type of governmental unit that is the primary legal

subdivision of Puerto Rico. The Census Bureau treats the municipio as

the statistical equivalent of a county.

Nonvisible feature--A map feature that is not visible, such as a

city or county boundary, a property line running through space, a short

imaginary extension of a street or road, or a point-to-point line.

Outlying Area--See Island Territory.

Statistical geographic entity--Any specially defined geographic

entity or combination of entities, such as a block group, CDP, or

census tract for which the Census Bureau tabulates data. Statistical

entity boundaries are not legally defined and the entities have no

governmental standing.

Tribal jurisdiction statistical area (TJSA)--A statistical entity

delineated for the decennial census by American Indian tribal officials

in Oklahoma. A TJSA encompasses the area that includes the American

Indian population over which a tribe has jurisdiction.

Urbanized area (UA)--An area consisting of a central place(s) and

adjacent urban fringe that together have a minimum residential

population of at least 50,000 people and generally an overall

population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile. The Census

Bureau uses published criteria to determine the qualification and

boundaries of UAs at the time of each decennial census or from the

results of a special census during the intercensal period.

Visible feature--A map feature that can be seen on the ground, such

as a street or road, railroad track, power line, stream, shoreline,

fence, ridge, or cliff.

Zona urbana--In Puerto Rico, the settled area functioning as the

seat of government for a municipio. A zona urbana cannot cross a

municipio boundary.

Dated: May 23, 1996.

Martha Farnsworth Riche,

Director, Bureau of the Census.

[FR Doc. 96-14696 Filed 6-10-96; 8:45 am]

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