Table 2-5. The Census Bureau’s Most Commonly Used Statistical Entities
| Region and Division[2-5 1] | Combination of States. |
| Metropolitan Area (MA)[2-5 1] | One or more contiguous counties (cities and towns in New England) that are socially and economically integrated with a large densely settled population core. |
| Urbanized Area (UA) | A continuously built-up area with a population of 50,000 or more. |
| Census County Division (CCD) | A subdivision of a county that serves as the statistical equivalent of an MCD in 21 States where MCDs either do not exist or are not appropriate for decennial census data-reporting purposes. |
| Unorganized Territory (UT) | A subdivision of a county that is the statistical equivalent of an MCD for decennial census data-reporting purposes in those MCD States that have counties with part or all of their area not in any MCD. |
| Census Designated Place (CDP) | A densely settled population concentration which has a name and community identity but is not part of any incorporated place. |
| Census Tract | A statistical subdivision of selected counties—established by a local committee of data users—that is a relatively stable basis for tabulating decennial census data. Secondarily, it serves as a framework for assigning census block numbers. Tabulated parts occur where a county subdivision or place boundary divides a census tract. |
| Block Numbering Area (BNA) | A statistical subdivision of counties without census tracts, serving as a framework for assigning census block numbers and for tabulating decennial census data. Tabulated parts occur where a county subdivision or place boundary divides a BNA. |
| Block Group (BG) | A grouping of census blocks having the same first digit in their identifying number within a census tract or BNA. Tabulated parts occur where a county subdivision or place boundary divides a BG. |
| Census Block | The smallest Census Bureau geographic entity; it generally is an area bounded by streets, streams, and the boundaries of legal and statistical entities. |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Census Bureau tabulates data for regions, divisions, and MAs in its data presentations for almost all censuses and sample surveys. It tabulates data for other kinds of statistical entities only in its data presentations for the decennial census of population and housing, and selectively for other censuses and sample surveys.
2-22Geographic Overview
