Urban and Rural Classifications

The Census Bureau uses urban area criteria to create a single set of rules that yield consistent data and eliminate subjectivity in the delineation of urban areas. Revised urban area criteria were published in 2002. Because of changes in the criteria for defining urban areas, caution is advised when comparing 1990 and 2000 urban areas.

Definitions

Urban areas are comprised of urbanized areas or urban clusters.

Urbanized areas (UAs)

• Consist of contiguous, densely settled census block groups and census blocks that meet minimum population density requirements,
• along with adjacent densely settled census blocks that together encompass a population of at least 50,000 people.
  

Urban clusters (UCs)

• Consist of contiguous, densely settled census block groups and census blocks that meet minimum population density requirements,
• along with adjacent densely settled census blocks that together encompass a population of at least 2,500 people, but fewer than 50,000 people.

Rural

Territory, population, and housing units not classified as urban constitute rural. 

• Rural farm comprises all rural households and housing units on farms (places from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were sold in 1989);
• Rural non-farm comprises the remaining rural count.
  

The urban and rural classification cuts across the other hierarchies; for example, there are generally both urban and rural territories within both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.

More Information

For information about urban areas, see:

• http://www.census.gov/geo/www/ua/ua_2k.html 

For a list of Iowa urbanized areas and urban clusters and their populations, see:

• http://data.iowadatacenter.org/browse/urbanruralareas.html