Census population data are used in many transportation planning applications including population forecasting, travel demand modeling and microsimulation, Title VI analysis and land use analysis. The US Census definition of "urbanized areas" is used in the Federal determination of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). Planning (PL) and Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds are based upon urbanized area populations. The transportation planning community, through American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), contracts for a special tabulation from Census data called the Census Transportation Planning Products (CTPP). The CTPP focuses on the journey-to-work, and other tables helpful for transportation planning (including household size, household income, mode usage, and vehicle availability).
A profile includes four tables that provide various demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics for the states, counties, minor civil divisions in selected states, places, metropolitan areas, and congressional districts. It includes 100 percent and sample data from the decennial censuses. Some of the variables reported include household income, vehicles available in households, average travel time, Means of transportation to work.
The 2020 Urban Area boundaries can be examined using the UA Census 2020 TIGER/Line files.
