ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, 5-digit (ZCTA5), Minnesota, 2020

To meet the demand for releasing data at the ZIP Code level, the Census Bureau developed the concept of ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs). ZCTAs are areal representations of ZIP Codes made up of groupings of census blocks, the smallest level of geography for which the Census Bureau releases statistical data.

ZCTAs get around the problem that ZIP Codes do not have distinct geographic boundaries. Designed by the U.S. Postal Service for use in mail delivery, ZIP Codes represent carrier routes made up of individual addresses. A true representation of ZIP Codes would separate out individual housing units and releasing data for them would risk disclosing personally identifiable information. Data users should not use ZCTAs to identify the official USPS ZIP Code for mail delivery. The USPS makes periodic changes to ZIP Codes to support more efficient mail delivery.