TIGER/ZIP Technical Guide • September 2007 1 Introduction Introduction The TIGER/ZIP File is created by matching the information on the Census Bureau's TIGER File to the United States Postal Service's ZIP+4 Product. The resulting file contains over 33 million data records from more than 27,000 5-digit ZIP Codes. The records relate ZIP Codes to state, county, Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA) codes, tract number, block number, and geographic coordinate information. Coverage of the file is limited to the address ranges in ZIP+4 Product that could be successfully matched to the address ranges in the Census Bureau's TIGER File. The file also includes data collected by the USPS using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. While there has been a careful attempt to match the address data in these files to create this product, the United States Postal Service makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, merchantability, fitness for any particular purpose, or otherwise with respect to the TIGER/ZIP product, nor shall the United States Postal Service be liable for any special, incidental, or consequential damages, even if it has been, or is hereafter, advised of the possibility of such damages that may result from the usage of the data contained in the TIGER/ZIP product. 2 TIGER/ZIP Technical Guide • September 2007 TIGER/ZIP Technical Guide • June 2002 3 File Descriptions TIGER.DAT File The TIGER.DAT file is used to match the state code assigned by the Census Bureau to correct the state abbreviation. It also matches the county code to its corresponding county name. The State Code and County Code fields can be found in the data records. Table 1. TIGER.DAT File Record Layout 01 State Code 02 01 02 02 State Abbrev. 02 03 04 03 County Code 03 05 07 04 County Name 25 08 32 05 CRLF 02 33 34 Field Field Logical Relative Position Number Description Length From/Thru Table 2. Copyright Record Layout 01 Filler 05 01 05 02 File Version Year 04 06 09 03 File Version Month 02 10 11 04 Copyright Symbol 16 12 27 05 Filler 59 28 86 06 CRLF 02 87 88 Field Field Logical Relative Position Number Description Length From/Thru File Descriptions 4 TIGER/ZIP Technical Guide • September 2007 File Descriptions Field Field Logical Relative Position Number Description Length From/Thru 01 ZIP Code 05 01 05 02 ZIP+4 Code 04 06 09 03 TLID 10 10 19 04 Carrier Route 04 20 23 05 State Code 02 24 25 06 County Code 03 26 28 07 RL Flag 01 29 29 08 Census Tract Number 06 30 35 09 Census Block Number 04 36 39 10 From Latitude 09 40 48 11 From Longitude 10 49 58 12 To Latitude 09 59 67 13 To Longitude 10 68 77 14 PMSA Code 04 78 81 15 CMSA Code 04 82 85 16 Multiple Match Indicator 01 86 86 17 CRLF 02 87 88 Table 3. Data Record Layout TIGER/ZIP Technical Guide • September 2007 5 Data Element Definitions Data Element Definitions ZIP+4 Code ZIP: A 5-digit code that identifies a specific geographic delivery area. ZIP Codes can represent an area within a state, an area that crosses state boundaries (unusual condition), or a single building or company that has a very high mail volume. "ZIP" is an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan. +4: Describes the last four positions of a ZIP+4 Code. Most delivery addresses are assigned a single ZIP+4 Code. However, large companies may be given a range of ZIP+4 Codes that can be used to route mail to a specific department. TLID Tiger Line Identification (TLID) is a universal number associated with Census Bureau products. Carrier Route Carrier identification code or number for a given delivery route or PO box presentation. State Code A 2-digit code assigned by the Census Bureau. County Code The 3-digit Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code assigned to counties and county equivalents in sequence within each state. RL Flag Right-Left Flag (RL Flag) signifies the side of the street upon which the +4 code resides (e.g., R = right, L = left, and B = both sides that are possible at times). Census Tract Number Small, locally delineated statistical areas within selected counties, generally having stable boundaries and, when first established by local communities, designed to have relatively homogeneous demographic characteristics. Census Block Number Blocks are numbered uniquely within each census tract with a 3-character number that identifies the collection block used in the census and a character block suffix. This character block suffix is often blank. 6 TIGER/ZIP Technical Guide • September 2007 Data Element Definitions From Latitude The north/south measurement indicating the beginning point of the TLID. From Longitude The east/west measurement indicating the beginning point of the TLID. To Latitude A north/south measurement indicating the ending point of the TLID. To Longitude The east/west measurement indicating the ending point of the TLID. Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA) A 4-digit code assigned to areas that comprise one or more counties, including a major population nucleus and nearby communities that have a high degree of interaction. Information on Metropolitan Areas can be found att he U.S. Census Bereau Website at http://www.census.gov/populations/www/estimates/metroarea.ht ml. Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) A 4-digit code assigned to areas that consist of primary metropolitan statistical areas.Information on Metropolitan Areas can be found att he U.S. Census Bereau Website at http://www.census.gov/populations/www/estimates/metroarea.ht ml. Multiple Match Indicator The ZIP+4 Code matched with more than one census block/latitude/longitude is identified with a multiple match indicator, which would be "Y" if the condition occurred. Multiple matches can occur because 1. The Census Bureau reported the same block with different latitude/longitude, 2. The ZIP+4 block face was in more than one census block due to coding convention differences between the Census Bureau and the United States Postal Service, or 3. Ambiguous data exists in either the Census TIGER/ZIP File, ZIP+4, or both. CRLF This field only appears in the ".TXT" files on the CD-ROM and is used to break the records.