Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Codes for Geographical Areas

FIPS codes provide unique codes for U.S. states, counties, populated places, primary county divisions, and other locational entities as well as for countries.

Note: FIPS codes for geographical areas can change over time. Thus, if you are using a dataset that includes FIPS codes, it is usually best to use the FIPS codes lists that accompany that dataset.

• FIPS Data Standards/Guidelines: Representations and Codes, the official publications from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. See especially the following publications:
  • FIPSPUB5-2: Codes for the Identification of the States, the District of Columbia and the Outlying Areas of the United States, and Associated Areas, 1987 May 28. Also available in tab delimited and text, Wordperfect 5.1, and in Davis Library Federal Documents Reference Desk, C13.52:5-2.
  • FIPSPUB6-4: Counties and Equivalent Entities of the United States, its Possessions, and Associated Areas, 1990 August 31. Also available in delimited and text, Wordperfect 5.1, and in Davis Library Federal Documents Reference Desk, C13.52:6-4.
  • FIPSPUB 8-6: Metropolitan Areas (Including MSAs, CMSAs, PMSAs, AND NECMAs), 1995 March (reflects technical changes through July 1, 1994). Also available in Davis Library Federal Documents Reference Desk, C13.52:8-6.
  • FIPSPUB9-1: Congressional Districts of the United States, 1990 November 30. Also available in Wordperfect 5.1 format.
  • FIPSPUB55-DC3 ~ 1998 version: Guideline: Codes for Named Populated Places, Primary County Divisions, DC3 and other Locational Entities of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Outlying Areas, 1994 December 28.
  • FIPSPUB55-3: Guideline: Codes for Named Populated Places, Primary County Divisions, and Other Locational Entities of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Outlying Areas, 1994 December 28. Same as FIPS PUB 55-DC3; (documentation only). Also available in Davis Library Federal Documents Reference Desk, C13.52:55-3.
  • FIPSPUB10-4: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions, 1995 April (reflects technical changes through May 6, 1993). Also available in Davis Library Federal Documents Reference Desk, C13.52:10-4.
   
• County Names and Codes via Census Bureau. "This file lists all counties and equivalent areas in the United States defined as of January 1, 1990, alphabetically by State with related codes. There are four codes shown: the first code is the FIPS MSA/CMSA/NECMA code, the second code is the FIPS PMSA code, the third code is a combination of the FIPS State and county codes, and the fourth code is the geographic summary level (0 = United States total; 1 = state total; 2 = county in CMSA/ PMSA; 3 = county in MSA; 4 = county in NECMA; 5 = county not in any metro area)." Other files are also available.
• FIPS 55 Codes for Named Populated Places Primary County Divisions and Other Locational Entities from Fedmarket.com. There is one list per state. Which version of the FIPS 55 codes is provided is not indicated.

• The 1998 ~ FIPS 55-DC3 Index "Places, Counties, Congressional Districts, and More...." via National Institute of Standards and Technology. This full-featured service allows you to view and download: FIPS codes queried by state, place, county, MSA, and/or class (results: sorted in a table) and FIPS codes for a selected state (results: formatted text, space delimited text, zip file, or tar file).
• FIPS 55-3 Query Form via Department of Defense. Search by state(s), county code, county name, GSA code, city code, and/or city name. Retrieve FIPS codes for state, county, and city and GSA code and class.
• FFIEC Geocoding System via Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. Enter a street address and retrieve FIPS codes for state, county, MSA as well as ZIP code and census tract number. A map and data (Tract/BNA Income Level, Tract/BNA Median Family Income %, HUD MSA Median Family Income, Est. Tract/BNA Median Family Income, 1990 Tract/BNA Median Family Income, Tract/BNA Population, Tract/BNA Minority %, Minority Population, Owner-Occupied Units, 1- to 4-Family Units) are also available. The version of these FIPS codes is not indicated.
• US FIPS Finder via University of Virginia, Geospatial and Statistical Data Center. Search by state and county names or by 5-digit FIPS code for a county. "This search will provide the total population, land area, water area, per capita income, median family income, and coordinates for the county centroid."

Some of the FIPS codes for use with the 1990 Census of Population and Housing can be found in the technical documentation via the Census Bureau's 1990 Census Lookup and via Oregon State's Government Information Sharing Project. The Census Bureau, in U.S. Gazetteer Place and Zipcode Files, provides lists of counties, MCDs, places, and ZIP codes which include FIPS codes. FIPS codes in electronic format are also downloadable from the 1990 Census of Population and Housing CD-ROMs using EXTRACT software. FIPS codes are also available from Geographical Identification Code Scheme (Davis Reference Electronic Resource C3.275:G29/(year, #)).

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