2004 Second Edition TIGER/Line(R) Files Technical Documentation

Appendix D-FIPS Class Code Definitions

The FIPS class code appears in Record Type C. There are four major 
"groups" that differentiate between populated places, other geopolitical 
and census units, institutional facilities, and terminated entries. Some 
subclasses relate an entry to a class different from its own, which is 
useful because a number of entries serve in more than one capacity. For 
example, an incorporated place also may serve as the statistical 
equivalent of a minor civil division. Subclasses also identify close 
relationships; for example, some sub-classes identify entries in 
different classes that are coextensive. The U.S. Census Bureau uses only 
a subset of the classes within each group for its needs. The FIPS class 
codes and definitions follow.


Class B-Post Offices/Postal Zones Not Corresponding To Other Locational 
Entities

B3	3-digit ZIP Code Tabulation Area (approximated representation of 
the area covered by a 3-digit ZIP Code.
	
B5	5-digit ZIP Code Tabulation Area (approximated representation of 
the area covered by a 5-digit ZIP Code.
	

Class C-Incorporated Places

C1	An incorporated place that is governmentally active, is not 
related to an Alaska Native village statistical area (ANVSA), and does 
not serve as a minor civil division (MCD) equivalent.
	
C2	Incorporated place that also serves as a minor civil division 
(MCD) equivalent because, although the place is coextensive with an MCD, 
the U.S. Census Bureau, in agreement with state officials, does not 
recognize that MCD for presenting statistical data because the MCD 
cannot provide governmental services (applies to Iowa and Ohio only).
	
C3	Incorporated place that is a consolidated city.
	
C5	Incorporated place that also serves as a minor civil division 
(MCD) equivalent because it is not part of any MCD or a county 
subdivision classified as Z5.
	
C6	Incorporated place that coincides with or approximates, an Alaska 
Native village statistical area (ANVSA).
	
C7	An incorporated place that is an independent city; that is, it 
also serves as a county equivalent because it is not part of any county 
and a minor civil division (MCD) equivalent because it is not part of 
any MCD.
	
C8	The portion ("balance") of a consolidated city that excludes the 
separately incorporated place(s) within that jurisdiction.
	
C9	An incorporated place whose government is operationally inactive 
and is not included in any other C subclass.


Class D-American Indian Reservations (AIRs)

D1	Federally recognized American Indian reservation (AIR) that has 
associated off-reservation trust land.
	
D2	Federally recognized American Indian reservation (AIR) that does 
not have associated off-reservation trust lands.
	
D3	Federally recognized American Indian off-reservation trust land 
area without any associated American Indian reservation (AIR).
	
D4	State-recognized American Indian reservation (AIR).
	
D5	The off-reservation trust land portion of an American Indian 
entity with both a reservation and trust land.
	
D6	A statistical entity for a federally recognized American Indian 
tribe that does not have a reservation or identified off-reservation 
trust land specifically a Census 2000 tribal designated statistical area 
(TDSA), Census 2000 Oklahoma Tribal statistical area (OTSA), or a1990 
tribal jurisdiction statistical area (TJSA) but excluding Alaska Native 
village statistical areas.
	
D7	Tribal Subdivision.
	
D8	The reservation portion of an American Indian entity with both a 
reservation and trust land.
	
D9	A statistical entity for a state recognized American Indian tribe 
not having a reservation specifically a state designated American Indian 
statistical area (SDAISA).


Class E-Alaska Native Areas (ANAs)

E1	Alaska Native Village Statistical Area (ANVSA) that does not 
coincide with, or approximate, an incorporated place or census 
designated place (CDP).
	
E2	Alaska Native Village Statistical Area (ANVSA) that coincides 
with, or approximates, a census designated place (CDP).
	
E6	Alaska Native Village Statistical Area (ANVSA) that coincides 
with, or approximates, an incorporated place.
	
E7	An Alaskan Native Regional Corporation (ANRC).


Class F-Hawaiian Home Land 

F1	A Hawaiian home land, an area established by the Hawaiian Homes 
Commission Act of 1921 providing for lands held in trust by the State of 
Hawaii for the benefit of Native Hawaiians.
	

Class H-Counties and County Equivalents

H1	An active county or statistically equivalent entity that does not 
qualify under subclass C7 or H6.
	
H4	A legally defined inactive or nonfunctioning county or 
statistically equivalent entity that does not qualify under subclass H6.
	
H5	Census areas in Alaska, a statistical county equivalent entity.
	
H6	A county or statistically equivalent entity that is areally 
coextensive or governmentally consolidated with an incorporated place, 
part of an incorporated place, or a consolidated city.
	

Class M-Federal Facilities

M2	An installation (or part of an installation) of the U.S. 
Department of Defense or any branch thereof, or of the U.S. Coast Guard, 
that serves as a census designated place.


Class T-Active Minor Civil Divisions (MCDs)

T1	Governmentally active minor civil division (MCD) that is not 
coextensive with an incorporated place.
	
T5	Governmentally active minor civil division (MCD) that is 
coextensive with an incorporated place.
	
T9	A minor civil division (MCD) whose government is inactive.


Class U-Unincorporated Places Except Those Associated With Facilities

U1	Census designated place (CDP) with a name that is commonly 
recognized for the populated area, and designated as a populated place 
by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
	
U2	Census designated place (CDP) with a name that is not commonly 
recognized for the populated area (e.g., a combination of the names of 
two or three commonly recognized communities, or a name that identifies 
the location of the CDP in relation to an adjacent incorporated place).
	
U9	A census designated place (CDP) that coincides with, or 
approximates, an Alaska Native Village Statistical Area (ANVSA).


Class Z-Inactive or Nonfunctioning County Divisions

Z1	A minor civil division (MCD) that cannot provide general-purpose 
governmental services.
	
Z2	An American Indian reservation and/or off-reservation trust land 
area that also serves as a primary division of a county or statistical 
equivalent entity.

Z3	Unorganized territory identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a 
minor civil division (MCD) equivalent for presenting statistical data.
	
Z5	Census county division (CCD), census subarea (Alaska only), or 
census subdistrict (U.S. Virgin Islands only).
	
Z6	Subbarrio (sub-MCD) in Puerto Rico.
	
Z7	An incorporated place that the U.S. Census Bureau treats as a 
minor civil division (MCD) equivalent because it is not in any MCD or is 
coextensive with a legally established but nonfunctioning MCD that the 
U.S. Census Bureau does not recognize for statistical data presentation 
purposes, AND is located in a county whose MCDs cannot provide 
governmental services (Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, and North Carolina 
only).
	
Z9	A pseudo-minor civil division (MCD) that consists of water area 
not assigned to any legal MCD.


Economic Census FIPS Class Code Definitions

Class C-Incorporated Places (Economic Census)

C1	An incorporated place that is governmentally active, is not 
related to an Alaska Native village statistical area (ANVSA), and does 
not serve as a minor civil division (MCD) equivalent.
	
C2	Incorporated place that also serves as a minor civil division 
(MCD) equivalent because, although the place is coextensive with an MCD, 
the U.S. Census Bureau, in agreement with state officials, does not 
recognize that MCD for presenting statistical data because the MCD 
cannot provide governmental services (applies to Iowa and Ohio only).
	
C3	Incorporated place that is a consolidated city.
	
C5	Incorporated place that also serves as a minor civil division 
(MCD) equivalent because it is not part of any MCD or a county 
subdivision classified as Z5.

C6	Incorporated place that coincides with or approximates an ANVSA.
	
C7	An incorporated place that is an independent city; that is, it 
also serves as a county equivalent because it is not part of any county 
and a minor civil division (MCD) equivalent because it is not part of 
any MCD.
	
C8	The portion ("balance") of a consolidated city that excludes one 
or more separately incorporated place(s) within that jurisdiction.
	
C9	An incorporated place whose government is operationally inactive 
or is not included in any other C subclass.


Class H-Counties and County Equivalents (Economic Census)

H1	An active county or statistically equivalent entity outside of 
Alaska.
	
H4	A legally defined inactive or nonfunctioning county or 
statistically equivalent entity outside of Alaska.
	
H9	Balance of county-level economic census entity in Alaska

Note: Massachusetts has counties that qualify as either H1 or H4 class 
entities. All economic census place balance of county entities are 
classified as H1 entities for the economic census.


Class I-Special Economic Census Entities

I1	The Island of Lanai economic census place.
	
I2	The Island of Molokai (balance) economic census place.
	

Class M-Federal Facilities (Economic Census)

M2	A military or U.S. Coast Guard installation (or port of an 
installation) that serves as a census designated place (applies to 
Hawaii only).


Class T-Active Minor Civil Divisions (MCDs) (Economic Census)

T1	Governmentally active minor civil division (MCD) that is not 
coextensive with an incorporated place.
	
T8	A balance of minor civil division (MCD) entity, that is, part of 
the MCD qualifies as a separate economic census place.


Class U-Unincorporated Places Except Those Associated With Facilities 
(Applicable in Hawaii only) (Economic Census)

U1	Census designated place (CDP) with a name that is commonly 
recognized for the populated area, and designated as a populated place 
by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
	
U2	Census designated place (CDP) with a name that is not commonly 
recognized for the populated area (e.g., a combination of the names of 
two or three commonly recognized communities, or a name that identifies 
the location of the CDP in relation to an adjacent incorporated place).


Class Z-Inactive or Nonfunctioning County Divisions (Economic Census)

Z1	A minor civil division (MCD) that cannot provide general-purpose 
governmental services (Guam only).
	
Z3	An unorganized territory identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a 
minor civil division (MCD) equivalent for presenting statistical data 
(Rose Island and Swains Island in American Samoa only).