The cartographic boundary files are simplified representations of selected geographic areas from the Census Bureau’s Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) System. These boundary files are specifically designed for small scale thematic mapping. As of 2019, cartographic boundary files are available in shapefile, geodatabase, and Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format. For more details about these files, including their appropriate usage, please see our Cartographic Boundary File Description page.
You can find older files on the Cartographic Boundary File - Shapefiles and Cartographic Boundary File - KMLs pages. You can also download files directly from our FTP site.
To download files for Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs), Urban Areas, Voting Districts, or ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) please visit the “2020” tab above.
You can download these files one geographic layer at a time by visiting the “Cartographic Boundary Files by Geography” section below or you can download the entire dataset available for a given scale here:
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [306 MB] | geodatabase [183 MB]
1 : 5,000,000 (national) shapefile [24 MB] | geodatabase [18 MB]
1 : 20,000,000 (national) shapefile [1.7 MB] | geodatabase [1.2 MB]
You can download files one geographic layer at a time for the entire nation or by state, when available, below.
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [93 MB]
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
Choose a State to Download.
1 : 500,000 (state) KML
Choose a State to Download.
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
1 : 500,000 (state) KML
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [<1.0 MB]
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
1 : 500,000 (state) KML
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [38 MB]
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
1 : 500,000 (state) KML
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [22 MB]
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
1 : 500,000 (state) KML
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [2.0 MB]
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
1 : 500,000 (state) KML
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [1.0 MB]
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
1 : 500,000 (state) KML
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [23 MB]
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
1 : 500,000 (state) KML
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [16 MB]
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
1 : 500,000 (state) KML
1 : 500,000 (national) shapefile [11 MB]
1 : 500,000 (state) shapefile
1 : 500,000 (state) KML