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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

[Docket No. 970728183-7183-01]

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

Criteria

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of final program.

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SUMMARY: Census designated places (CDPs) are statistical geographic

entities, defined for 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 publish

data for localities that otherwise would not be identified as places in

the 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 locally identified agencies, whereby they

can review and update the 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 delineations for conformance to these

criteria. The Census Bureau does not take into account nor attempt to

anticipate any nonstatistical uses that may be made of CDPs, nor will

the Census Bureau modify the definition of CDPs to meet the

requirements of any nonstatistical program.

The Census Bureau is publishing final criteria for the delineation

of CDPs for Census 2000. These criteria will apply to the 50 states,

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

Island Areas in Census 2000 except American Samoa.1 The

Census Bureau may modify, or, if necessary, reject any CDP that does

not meet the criteria announced in this notice. The Census Bureau also

may define CDPs in instances where clear evidence of a place exists,

but for which local officials did not submit boundaries.

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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 criteria, this notice includes a description of

the changes from the previous criteria and a list of definitions of key

terms used in the criteria.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The CDP criteria for Census 2000 become effective

September 22, 1997.

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

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

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CDP delineation criteria have evolved

over the decades in response to 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 1998, the Census Bureau will provide program participants

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

Response To Comments

The Census Bureau issued a Notice of Proposed Program and Request

for Comments in the Federal Register (61 FR 29524) on Tuesday, June 11,

1996. That notice solicited comments on the proposed criteria changes

for delineating CDPs for Census 2000. The Census Bureau received

comments from eight individuals, including academic geographers;

representatives of governmental agencies at the Federal, state, and

local levels; a private consultant; and a representative of a public

interest group. All comments pertained to the minimum population

threshold for qualification as a CDP. Specific recommendations for

minimum thresholds varied from 100 to 500 residents, but all agreed

that the proposed minimum threshold of 1,000 residents for CDPs located

outside urbanized areas (UAs) was too high for most rural communities

to qualify for recognition.

Upon further analysis, the Census Bureau determined that it could

no longer conceptually support the maintenance of specific population

thresholds for CDP qualification and, accordingly, has eliminated

population as a criterion for qualification. This change will enhance

the Census Bureau's ability to provide data relating to a wide variety

of unincorporated places, especially in small rural communities,

throughout the United States, about which previous censuses are mute.

[[Page 44639]]

Classification

This notice was determined to be not significant for purposes of

Executive Order 12866.

The Assistant General Counsel for Legislation and Regulation,

Department of Commerce, certified to the Chief Counsel, Small Business

Administration, that this notice will not have a significant economic

impact on a substantial number of small entities. The notice sets forth

the criteria for the delineation of Census Designated Places (CDPs).

The criteria will be used to determine geographic boundaries for

collecting data for Census 2000. The Census Bureau uses CDPs to

tabulate and publish data for localities that otherwise would not be

identified as places in the decennial census data products. Thus,

because the delineation of CDPs is solely for statistical purposes to

enable the Census Bureau to tabulate and publish data for Census 2000,

it will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number

of small entities.

Final Program Requirements

A. Criteria for Delineating CDPs for Census 2000

The Census Bureau announces the following criteria for use in

determining the areas which will qualify for designation as CDPs for

Census 2000.

1. General Characteristics

The purpose of the CDP program is to identify and delineate

boundaries for closely settled, named, unincorporated communities that

generally contain a mixture of residential, commercial, and retail

areas similar to those found in incorporated places of similar sizes.

Although the Census Bureau realizes that places of all sizes and levels

of functionality exist throughout the United States, it is not the

intent of the CDP program to identify apartment complexes and

residential subdivisions in densely settled areas or small crossroads

in rural areas. The ideal CDP will differ from an incorporated city,

town, village, or borough only in regard to legal status and

recognition within its respective state. Each CDP will contain an

identifiable core area. For the purposes of the CDP criteria, the term

``core area'' is defined as the area that is associated strongly with

the CDP name and contains the majority of the CDP's population and

housing as well as commercial structures and economic activity.

In rural areas, the core may be a crossroads around which are found

a cluster of houses, commercial structures, and perhaps a post office

that provide the place identity for the surrounding countryside. In

more urban areas, the core may be a larger area consisting of a mixture

of residential and commercial structures focused on a particular point

or extending along transportation corridors. We ask that participants

in the CDP program consider the level of influence that the community

has on surrounding areas; the relationship with, and possible existence

within, a larger named place; and the relative importance within the

county, town, or township.

2. Names

A CDP must have a locally recognized name. A CDP name, however, may

not duplicate the name of 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. A CDP may not be located in more than one state or state

equivalent, nor may a CDP cross the boundaries of an American Indian

reservation (AIR), trust land, or a tribal jurisdiction statistical

area (TJSA). A CDP may be located in more than one county.

b. A CDP may not be located partially or entirely within an

incorporated place or another CDP.

c. A CDP may not be coextensive with an Alaska Native village

statistical area (ANVSA). A CDP and an ANVSA, however, may overlap

territory provided that the two entities are distinguishable by name.

d. A CDP may not be coextensive with any higher-level geographic

area recognized by the Census Bureau, such as county subdivisions,

counties, AIRs, TJSAs, and states. Exceptions will be made for

Arlington County, VA, as well as areas such as, but not limited to,

towns in the New England states, New York, and Wisconsin and townships

in Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey that generally are

perceived of as places, tend to provide municipal-style services, and

exhibit urban-type population density patterns over much, if not all,

of the land area of the entity.

e. The Census Bureau will not accept plans that delineate ``wall-

to-wall'' CDPs within a county. That is, CDPs may not cover all or most

of the land area within a county.

4. Boundaries

a. A CDP encompasses, as far as possible, all the surrounding,

closely settled territory associated with the place name. A CDP must

comprise a reasonably compact and continuous land area internally

accessible to all points by road; the only exceptions are:

Where parts of a CDP are separated by a narrow corridor of

incorporated territory.

Where the topography or geographic patterns of settlement

are not compact, but are irregularly shaped. Two parts of a CDP,

however, may not be separated by a body of water over which there are

no bridges or ferry connections, with the exception of small islands

located in a lake or river within or adjacent to the main body of the

CDP.

b. The boundaries of a CDP always are census block boundaries.

Features chosen to form CDP boundaries must be the nearest acceptable

features bounding the core area of the CDP (as defined in Section A.1.

above). CDP boundaries should follow visible, perennial natural and

cultural features such as roads, rivers, canals, railroads, above-

ground high-tension power lines, and so forth. In addition to these

features, the following also are acceptable as CDP boundaries:

All incorporated place boundaries.

All minor civil division (MCD) boundaries (generally towns

and townships) in Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New

Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and

Vermont.

Some MCD boundaries in Illinois (townships only, not

election precincts), Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri

(governmental townships only), Nebraska (townships only, not election

precincts), North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Barrio, barrio-pueblo, and subbarrio boundaries in Puerto

Rico, census subdistrict boundaries in the Virgin Islands, municipal

district boundaries in the Northern Mariana Islands, and election

district boundaries in Guam.

AIR and trust land boundaries.

ANVSA and Alaska Native Regional Corporation boundaries

(at the discretion of the Census Bureau insofar as such boundaries are

unambiguous for allocating living quarters as part of census

activities).

When features listed above are not available for selection, the

Census Bureau, at its discretion, may approve other nonstandard visible

features, such as ridge lines, pipelines, intermittent streams, fence

lines, and so forth. Additionally, the Census Bureau may accept, on a

case-by-case basis, the boundaries of selected nonstandard and

potentially nonvisible features, such as the boundaries of National

Parks and Forests, military reservations, cemeteries, or other special

land-use properties and the straight-line

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extensions of visible features or other lines of sight.

5. Population Size

There are no minimum or maximum population thresholds for

recognition as a CDP for Census 2000.

6. Census Bureau Review and Qualification of CDPs

The Census Bureau may modify or, if necessary, reject any proposed

CDP that does not comply with the general characteristics as outlined

in Section A.1. above or with any other criteria as contained in this

notice. The Census Bureau also may define CDPs in instances where clear

evidence of a place exists, but for which local officials did not

submit boundaries. The Census Bureau does not take into account nor

attempt to anticipate any nonstatistical uses that may be made of CDPs,

nor will the Census Bureau modify the definition of CDPs to meet the

requirements of any nonstatistical program.

B. Changes in the Criteria for Census 2000

1. The Census Bureau has eliminated population size as a criterion

for CDP qualification. For Census 2000, the Census Bureau will

recognize any unincorporated community as a CDP, regardless of

population size, provided it meets other criteria as outlined in this

notice. This represents a significant change in the CDP criteria. Data

users should consider the implications that this change has on the

reliability of sample data reported for CDPs, especially those with

small populations.

2. The Census Bureau will simplify its data presentations by

eliminating any CDPs that are geographically coextensive with an 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 can still

maintain their status 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.

C. Reliability and Confidentiality of Sample Data for CDPs

Statistical Areas Program participants responsible for delineating

CDP boundaries, as well as users of Census 2000 data, should be aware

that data reported for CDPs with small population and housing unit

totals are subject to disclosure avoidance techniques designed to

maintain confidentiality of individual responses. In the past, minimum

population thresholds for most CDPs were high enough to provide

reasonably reliable data for the CDP. With the elimination of

population thresholds as a criterion for recognition, program

participants and data users must recognize that the population and

housing characteristics reported for small CDPs may be affected to a

greater extent by disclosure avoidance techniques and increased

variability compared to larger CDPs.

The potential pitfalls of very small (<1000 people) CDPs include:

1. Title 13, United States Code, requires the Census Bureau to

ensure the confidentiality of all individual responses. The Census

Bureau will apply a confidentiality edit to meet this legal mandate. A

small amount of uncertainty is added to the estimates of demographic

characteristics as a result. Small populations require more protection,

so there will likely be more uncertainty added to the census data. (The

edit maintains the basic demographic structure of the data.)

2. Sample data are subject to variability within geographic areas

of any population size, but greater variability occurs with smaller

populations. This is because the number of sample cases is smaller.

3. If a small CDP is formed and the characteristics of the housing

or demographics are homogeneous, the estimates may be fairly reliable.

To the extent that characteristics vary from house to house or person

to person, the data reliability is diminished.

D. Relationship Between CDPs and the Urban/Rural Classification

For previous censuses, the Census Bureau classified as urban any

CDP included within a UA as well as any CDP that contained 2,500 or

more residents and was located outside of a UA. As a result, some CDPs

(as well as some incorporated places) that had very low population

densities were classified as urban simply because their boundaries

encompassed at least 2,500 people. The Census Bureau's urban/rural

classification contains criteria for defining ``extended cities''--

incorporated places that are divided into sparsely settled (defined as

fewer than 100 people per square mile) rural portions and more densely

settled urban portions. No such provisions, however, existed for CDPs

that contained extensive areas of sparse settlement.

The Census Bureau currently is reviewing its urban/rural

classification for Census 2000. The definitions and criteria used for

the 1990 census are subject to change, although at this time no

decisions have been reached regarding urban/rural definitions and

criteria for Census 2000. Statistical Areas Program participants

defining CDPs should be aware, however, of the possibility that the

Census Bureau may adopt urban/rural criteria under which all

incorporated places and CDPs could be divided between densely settled

(urban) portions and sparsely settled (rural) portions. There is no

guarantee at this time that all land area included in a CDP for Census

2000 will be classified as urban (or rural) by the Census Bureau.

E. Data Access and Dissemination System

The Census Bureau is developing the Data Access and Dissemination

System (DADS) as a part of its efforts to facilitate access to and

dissemination of official demographic and economic information. This

interactive electronic system will be designed to allow timely access

to data generated by the various areas of the Census Bureau. Users of

the DADS will be able to view or download predefined data products or

to extract and tabulate data from existing databases. The DADS also

will provide the opportunity for data users to view and map features

contained within the Census Bureau's TIGER database.

The DADS will enable users to select unique user-defined geographic

areas from an on-screen map image by drawing polygons or circles or

selecting predefined census areas such as census blocks, block groups,

or census tracts. Users will be able to define as well as tabulate and

download data for a variety of geographic areas, provided the

selections conform to Title 13 requirements protecting the

confidentiality of individual responses (see Section C. above). User-

defined selections may consist of (but are not limited to) geographic

areas, such as neighborhoods, housing subdivisions, soil conservation

districts, special taxation districts, central business districts, and

so forth, that are not part of the Census Bureau's standard geographic

hierarchy.

The DADS will offer flexibility in defining these geographic areas

interactively by allowing data users to choose and modify boundaries

for unincorporated places as desired, rather than having to conform to

a predefined census geographic area. The Census Bureau recommends the

use of this user-defined functionality within DADS to create geographic

entities, such as neighborhoods, or to obtain census data for housing

subdivisions. Many planned communities have component parts

[[Page 44641]]

known locally by name for which data users need census data. The Census

Bureau has developed the DADS to fulfill this need, allowing the CDP

program to continue to recognize the larger unincorporated community.

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--A small area bounded by visible features such as

streets, roads, streams, and railroad tracks and by nonvisible

boundaries such as city, town, township, and county limits, property

lines, and short, imaginary extensions of streets and roads.

Coextensive--Descriptive of two or more geographic entities that

cover exactly the same area, with all boundaries conjoint.

Housing unit--A housing unit is 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 separately from any other individuals in the

building and which have direct access from outside the building or

through a common hall. For vacant units, the criteria of separateness

and direct access are applied to the intended occupants whenever

possible. If that information cannot be obtained, the criteria are

applied to the previous occupants.

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 area--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 Area as the statistical equivalent of a state.

Minor civil division (MCD)--The primary governmental or

administrative division of a county in 28 states, Puerto Rico and the

Island Areas having legal boundaries, names, and descriptions. The

several types of MCDs are identified by a variety of terms, such as

town, township, and district, and include both functioning and

nonfunctioning governmental units. In some states, some or all of the

incorporated places also constitute MCDs.

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.

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 persons 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.

Dated: August 1, 1997.

Martha Farnsworth Riche,

Director, Bureau of the Census.

[FR Doc. 97-22332 Filed 8-21-97; 8:45 am]

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