Urban and Rural

Component ID: #ti2053370944

The Census Bureau’s urban-rural classification is fundamentally a delineation of geographical areas, identifying both individual urban areas and the rural areas of the nation. The Census Bureau’s urban areas represent densely developed territory, and encompass residential, commercial, and other non-residential urban land uses. The Census Bureau delineates urban areas after each decennial census by applying specified criteria to decennial census and other data.

Component ID: #ti896186319

The Census Bureau identifies two types of urban areas:

Urbanized Areas (UAs) of 50,000 or more people;
Urban Clusters (UCs) of at least 2,500 and less than 50,000 people.

“Rural” encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area.

For more information about the history of Urban and Rural Classification, please see:

Component ID: #ti151772623

Urban and Rural References

2010 Census Urban and Rural Classification

2010 Census Urban and Rural Classification and Urban Area Criteria

Urban-rural classification is fundamentally a delineation of geographical areas, identifying both individual urban areas and the rural areas of the nation.

Difference between the Census 2000 and 2010 Census Urban Area Criteria [<1.0 MB]

Census 2000 Urban and Rural Classification

2000 Census Urban and Rural Classification

The Census Bureau identifies and tabulates data for the urban and rural populations for the presentation and comparison of census statistical data.

Difference Between Urbanized Area Criteria from the 1990 Census and Census 2000 [<1.0 MB]

1990 Census Urban and Rural Classification

1990 Urban and Rural Definitions [<1.0 MB]

1990 Urbanized Area Codes and Names [<1.0 MB]

Urban and Rural Populations

For the "United States: 1790 to 1990" file below, an error in the 1960 rural population count was discovered after the publication of CPH-2-1 from the 1990 Census. The correct 1960 rural population using the 'Current urban definition' is 54,054,425.

Rural America: How Does the U.S. Census Bureau Define "Rural?" Interactive Story Map

United States, Regions, Divisions, and States: 1900 to 1990 [<1.0 MB]

United States: 1790 to 1990 [<1.0 MB]

Urban Areas Facts

Counts and percentages of various characteristics of urban and rural areas in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas.

Component ID: #ti1628331398

Urban and Rural

Urban and Rural

Urban and Rural References

2010 Census Urban and Rural Classification

Census 2000 Urban and Rural Classification

1990 Census Urban and Rural Classification

Urban and Rural Populations

Other related links