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Rural-Urban Commuting Area Codes

2018

203 citations

Abstract

the rural urban commuting area codes ruca classify u s census tracts using measures of urbanization population density and daily commuting from the decennial census the most recent ruca codes are based on data from the 2000 decennial census the classification contains two levels whole numbers 1 10 delineate metropolitan micropolitan small town and rural commuting areas based on the size and direction of the primary largest commuting flows these 10 codes are further subdivided to permit stricter or looser delimitation of commuting areas based on secondary second largest commuting flows the approach errs in the direction of more codes providing flexibility in combining levels to meet varying definitional needs and preferences the 1990 codes are similarly defined however the census bureau s methods of defining urban cores and clusters changed between the two censuses and census tracts changed in number and shapes the 2000 rural urban commuting codes are not directly comparable with the 1990 codes because of these differences an update of the rural urban commuting area codes is planned for late 2013

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