HUD-USPS ZIP Crosswalk Files

One of the many challenges that social science researchers and practitioners face is the difficulty of relating United States Postal Service (USPS) ZIP codes to Census Bureau geographies. There are valuable data available only at the ZIP code level that, when combined with demographic data tabulated at various Census geography levels, could open up new avenues of exploration.<br><br>While some acceptable methods of combining ZIP codes and Census geography exist, they have limitations. To provide additional avenues for merging these data, PD&amp;R has released the HUD-USPS Crosswalk Files. These unique files are derived from data in the quarterly USPS Vacancy Data. They originate directly from the USPS; are updated quarterly, making them highly responsive to changes in ZIP code configurations; and reflect the locations of both business and residential addresses. The latter feature is of particular interest to housing researchers because many of the phenomena that they study are based on housing unit or address. By using an allocation method based on residential addresses rather than by area or by population, analysts can take into account not only the spatial distribution of population, but also the spatial distribution of residences. This enables a slightly more nuanced approach to allocating data between disparate geographies. Please note that the USPS Vacancy Data is constructed from ZIP+4 data that contains records of addresses, it does not contain ZIP+4 data that are associated with ZIP codes that exclusively serve Postal Office Boxes (PO Boxes). As a result, ZIP codes that only serve PO Boxes will not appear in the files.<br><br>In addition to the crosswalk files, this dataset also includes screenshots of HUDs documentation and FAQ pages.<br><br><b>Understanding ZIP Code Crosswalk Files</b><br><br>Though often used for mapping, spatial analysis, and data aggregation careful attention is required when interpreting ZIP Code data relative to other administrative geographies. The following article demonstrates how to more effectively use the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) United States Postal Service ZIP Code Crosswalk Files when working with disparate geographies.<br><br>Wilson, Ron and Din, Alexander, 2018. “Understanding and Enhancing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s ZIP Code Crosswalk Files,” Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research, Volume 20 Number 2, 277 – 294. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/cityscpe/vol20num2/ch16.pdf<br><br><b>Using a GIS to Geoprocess ZIP Code Crosswalk Files</b><br><br>This article demonstrates how to use a GIS to process ZIP Code Crosswalk Files. In this article, calls for service from New York City's Open Data Portal are estimated at the county-level and census tract-level. This article also includes an accuracy analysis.<br><br>Din, Alexander and Wilson, Ron, 2020. "Crosswalking ZIP Codes to Census Geographies: Geoprocessing the U.S. Department of Housing &amp; Urban Development’s ZIP Code Crosswalk Files," Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research, Volume 22, Number 1, https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/cityscpe/vol22num1/ch12.pdf<br><br>***Microdata: Yes Level of Analysis: Local - Zip, CBSA, Tract; Group - Residential Ratio Variables Present: Yes - separate document File Layout: .xls Codebook: Yes Methods: Partial Weights (with appropriate documentation): No Publications: Yes Aggregate Data: No

社会科学研究者与实务从业者所面临的诸多难题之一，便是难以将美国邮政服务（United States Postal Service, USPS）的邮政编码（ZIP Code）与美国人口普查局的地理区划进行关联。当前存在诸多仅于邮政编码层级可获取的珍贵数据，若将其与不同普查地理层级下编制的人口统计数据相结合，将为研究开辟全新的探索方向。

尽管目前已存在若干可行的邮政编码与普查地理区划匹配方法，但均存在一定局限。为提供更多此类数据的融合路径，PD&R 发布了 HUD-USPS 交叉对照文件（HUD-USPS Crosswalk Files）。该独特数据集源自季度版美国邮政服务空置数据（USPS Vacancy Data），其数据直接取自美国邮政服务，且按季度更新，可高度适配邮政编码区划的变更；同时，该文件同时记录商业与住宅地址的位置信息。后者对住房研究者而言尤为关键，因为其研究的诸多现象均以住宅单元或地址为基础。相较于基于区域或人口的分配方法，采用基于住宅地址的分配方式，分析人员不仅可考量人口的空间分布，还能兼顾住宅的空间分布，从而得以采用更为细致的方法在不同地理区划间分配数据。需注意的是，美国邮政服务空置数据由包含地址记录的 ZIP+4 数据构建而成，但未涵盖仅服务于邮政信箱（Postal Office Boxes, PO Boxes）的邮政编码所对应的 ZIP+4 数据。因此，仅服务于邮政信箱的邮政编码不会出现在该文件中。

除上述交叉对照文件外，本数据集还包含美国住房和城市发展部（U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD）官方文档与常见问题（FAQ）页面的截图。

**邮政编码交叉对照文件解析**

尽管邮政编码常被用于制图、空间分析与数据聚合，但在将其与其他行政地理区划数据结合解读时，仍需格外谨慎。下文将介绍在处理异构地理区划数据时，如何更高效地使用美国住房和城市发展部与美国邮政服务联合推出的邮政编码交叉对照文件。

Wilson, Ron 与 Din, Alexander, 2018。《美国住房和城市发展部邮政编码交叉对照文件的解读与优化》，载于《城市景观：政策发展与研究期刊》（Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research）第20卷第2期，第277 – 294页。https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/cityscpe/vol20num2/ch16.pdf

**使用地理信息系统（Geographic Information System, GIS）处理邮政编码交叉对照文件**

本文将介绍如何使用地理信息系统处理邮政编码交叉对照文件。文中以纽约市开放数据门户（New York City's Open Data Portal）的服务呼叫数据为例，分别在县级与普查区（Census Tract）层级进行估算，且包含精度分析内容。

Din, Alexander 与 Wilson, Ron, 2020。《邮政编码与普查地理区划的交叉匹配：地理信息系统处理美国住房和城市发展部邮政编码交叉对照文件》，载于《城市景观：政策发展与研究期刊》第22卷第1期，https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/cityscpe/vol22num1/ch12.pdf

***微数据：是
分析层级：本地级 - 邮政编码（Zip）、核心基于统计区域（Core Based Statistical Area, CBSA）、普查区（Tract）；分组级 - 住宅比例变量
变量存在情况：是（单独文档）
文件格式：.xls
代码本：是
权重方法：部分权重（附完整文档）：否
关联出版物：是
聚合数据：否