Census Tracts 2010

Census tracts are small, relatively permanent geographic subdivisions of a county or equivalent entity. The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a nationwide set of geographic units that have stable boundaries. For Census 2000, the Census Bureau will work with local participants to delineate census tracts for the entire United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands of the United States). Each census tract must constitute a reasonably compact, continuous land area, all parts of which are internally accessible by road. The entire area and population of a county are covered by census tracts. Census tracts are identified by four-digit numbers ranging from 0001 to 9989; a two-digit decimal suffix also may be used. Census tract numbers can NOT be used more than once in a county. Census tract boundaries should follow visible and identifiable features, such as roads, rivers, canals, railroads, and above-ground high-tension power lines.