U.S. Census Bureau Releases 2013 TIGER/Line Shapefiles and TIGER Geodatabases

August 26, 2013  - By
Image: GPS World

The Geography Division of the U.S. Census Bureau has released two sets of Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing products: the 2013 TIGER/Line shapefiles and the TIGER geodatabases. Both are extracts of the Master Address File/TIGER database and can be used with Geographic Information System software to map census geographic areas and features such as roads and rivers.

The TIGER/Line shapefiles are updated yearly, and this version includes a new coastline feature. The TIGER geodatabases include national- and state-based files often requested by customers and provide the ability to download multiple layers in a single file. Both the 2013 TIGER/Line shapefiles and the TIGER geodatabases can be downloaded from the website.

  • Shapefiles are released in one of three types of coverages:
    • Nation-based
    • State-based
    • County-based
  • The table below lists each type of geography and the coverage(s) at which each is available.
2013 TIGER/Line Shapefiles Availability
Layer
Nation-Based Files
State-Based Files
County-Based Files
Note that not all files exist for all states or all counties.
Shapefiles – Boundaries
Alaska Native Regional Corporation

X
American Indian Tribal Subdivision

X
American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Areas

X
Block

X
Block Group

X
Census Tract

X
Combined New England City and Town Area

X
Combined Statistical Area

X
113th Congressional Districts

X
Consolidated City

X
County and Equivalent

X
County Subdivision

X
Elementary School District

X
Estates

X
Metropolitan Division

X
Metropolitan/Micropolitan Statistical Area

X
New England City and Town Area

X
New England City and Town Division

X
Place

X
Public Use Microdata Area

X
Secondary School District

X
State and Equivalent

X
State Legislative District-Lower Chamber

X
State Legislative District-Upper Chamber

X
Subbarrio (Subminor Civil Division)

X
Tribal Block Group

X
Tribal Census Tract

X
Unified School District

X
Urban Areas

X
5-digit ZIP Code Tabulation Area

X
Shapefiles – Features
Address Range-Feature

X
All Lines

X
All Roads

X
Area Hydrography

X
Area Landmark

X
Coastline

X
Linear Hydrography

X
Military Installation

X
Point Landmark

X
Primary and Secondary Roads

X
Primary Roads

X
Rails

X
Topological Faces (Polygons With All Geocodes)

X
Relationship Files
Address Range-Feature Name

X
Address Ranges

X
Feature Names

X
Other Identifiers

X
Topological Faces-Area Landmark

X
Topological Faces-Area Hydrography

X
Topological Faces-Military Installations

X
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