Sources of TIGER/Line and TIGER Spatial Data
What is TIGER/Line?
"The TIGER/Line files are a digital database of geographic
features, such as roads, railroads, rivers, lakes,
political boundaries, census statistical boundaries, etc.
covering the entire United States. The data base contains
information about these features such as their location in
latitude and longitude, the name, the type of feature,
address ranges for most streets, the geographic
relationship to other features, and other related
information. They are the public product created from the
Census Bureau's TIGER (Topologically Integrated Geographic
Encoding and Referencing) data base of geographic
information. TIGER was developed at the Census Bureau to
support the mapping and related geographic activities
required by the decennial census and sample survey
programs.
"These files are not graphic images of maps, but rather
digital data describing geographic features. To make use of
these data, a user must have mapping or Geographic
Information System (GIS) software that can import
TIGER/Line data. The Census Bureau does NOT provide these
data in any vendor-specific format. With the appropriate
software a user can produce maps ranging in detail from a
neighborhood street map to a map of the United States. To
date, many local governments have used the TIGER data in
applications requiring digital street maps. Software
companies have created products for the personal computer
that allow consumers to produce their own detailed maps.
There are many other possibilities. THE TIGER/LINE PRODUCT
DOES NOT INCLUDE DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS." (Source:
TIGER overview.)
Many commercial vendors have republished the original
TIGER/Line data, sometimes adding considerable value to the
datasets. These enhanced TIGER/Line datasets are often
called "TIGER".
It is important to keep in mind that TIGER/Line data was created by the
Census Bureau for the purpose of supporting the mapping needs of the
Census Bureau. The Census Bureau's needs do not require high spatial
accuracy. TIGER/Line data is not recommended for projects that require
high spatial accuracy.
Davis Library CD-ROMs
In Davis Library, UNC-Chapel Hill, we have the following
TIGER/Line and TIGER CD-ROMs:
-
TIGER/Line 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998
(i.e. all the editions available on CD-ROM) down to the
census block, from the Census Bureau.
-
CensusCD+Maps, from GeoLytics, which
includes data from the 1990 census for U.S. down to block
group via a relatively easy to use software interface. It
includes statistical data, simple thematic mapping
capabilities, and the ability to export files in formats
that ArcView and MapInfo can read. These datasets are
licensed. Davis Library Reference Electronic Resource.
-
CensusCD Blocks, from GeoLytics, which
includes data from the 1990 census for U.S. for blocks
only via a relatively easy to use software interface. It
includes statistical data, simple thematic mapping
capabilities, and the ability to export files in formats
that ArcView and MapInfo can read. These datasets are
licensed. Davis Library Reference Electronic Resource.
-
CensusCD 1980, from GeoLytics, which
includes data from the 1980 census down to census tract
via a relatively easy to use software interface. It
includes statistical data, simple thematic mapping
capabilities, and the ability to export files in formats
that ArcView and MapInfo can read. These datasets are
licensed. Davis Library Reference Electronic Resource.
-
ESRI Data and Maps, based on TIGER/Line 1999, for
ArcView, from ESRI (on
CD-ROM). It includes spatial data down to census block
group. ATN
has information on how UNC-Chapel Hill affiliates can get
this dataset. Due to license restrictions, software and
data available via the ESRI campus site license are
available in Davis Library for use only by UNC-Chapel
Hill students, faculty, and staff and for teaching and
research use only. Davis Library Reference Electronic
Resource.
-
Streets v. 5.0, for ArcView, from Wessex. These datasets
are licensed. Davis Library Reference Electronic
Resource.
-
TIGER 1992, 1994, and 1995, for ArcView, from Wessex, down to census
block group. These datasets are licensed. Davis Library
Reference Electronic Resource.
-
U.S. Street, for ArcView, from ESRI. ATN
has information on how UNC-Chapel Hill affiliates can get
this dataset. Due to license restrictions, software and
data available via the ESRI campus site license are
available in Davis Library for use only by UNC-Chapel
Hill students, faculty, and staff and for teaching and
research use only. Davis Library Reference Electronic
Resource.
On the web
TIGER/Line and TIGER are also available on the web. In
reverse chronological order of TIGER/Line version, when
known:
-
Census 2000 TIGER/Line via Census Bureau. Raw
(unconverted), zipped. This page also describes
differences between Census 2000 TIGER/Line and
Redistricting TIGER/Line 2000.
-
Redistricting TIGER/Line 2000 via Census Bureau. Raw
(unconverted), zipped.
-
Census 2000 TIGER/Line Data in shapefile format from
ESRI.
-
Map
Files from Census 2000 TIGER Files in shapefile
format from Proximity.
-
TIGER/Line
1999 via Census Bureau. Raw (unconverted), zipped.
-
TIGER/Line 1997 via UC Berkeley. Raw (unconverted).
-
Archive
of Census Related Products: Boundary Files.
SEDAC/CIESIN (Center for International Earth Science
Network). "The boundary files contain census geographic
entities extracted from the TIGER/Line Files, 1992. These
data have been processed to create the following: [1]
State boundary files for county, county subdivision
(mcd), place, 1990 tract/block numbering area,
blockgroup; and 1980 tract and mcd's (if available). The
tract and blockgroup files are grouped by MSA
(metropolitan statistical area) and CMSA (consolidated
metropolitan statistical area). [2] County boundary files
for all census blocks. Each census block is identified by
a unique polygon identification field (POLID) which
matches the POLID in the STF data." "Format: Boundary
ASCII Format (BNA) [...] BNA file format can be directly
imported into ATLAS GIS (SMI). It can also be converted
for other desktop packages, like MAPINFO, ARC/INFO, SAS,
etc."
-
Technical
documentation and other information (but not the
spatial data) for TIGER/Line 1992 files via Census
Bureau. "TIGER/Line 1992 files serve as a link between
1980 and 1990 Census Geography."
-
TIGER files down to census blocks via SEDAC's
Demographic Data Cartogram Service, DDCarto in Atlas
GIS, ARC/INFO, and MapInfo formats.
-
TIGER files from the U.S. Census Bureau's Cartographic
Boundary Files web site. These are "selected
generalized extracts from the Census Bureau's TIGER
geographic database designed for use in a Geographic
Information System (GIS) or similar mapping system. They
have been developed for various internal Census Bureau
projects and have been made available here to the general
public on an "as is" basis." Files may be from earlier
editions of TIGER/Line. Files are available in the
following formats: ARC/INFO Export (.e00), Arcview
Shapefile, ARC/INFO Ungenerate (ASCII).
Return to GIS at Davis Library
For more GIS assistance,
Please contact Amanda C.
Henley, GIS Librarian
amanda.henley@unc.edu
(919) 962-1151
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