August 4, 2014

TEMPORARY ZIP RUCA 3.10 FILE ACCESS PAGE

This web page allows access to the new Version 3.10 of the ZIP code Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCAs) geographic taxonomy.

  1. The development of the new update of the RUCAs to version 3 is funded by the federal Office of Rural Health Policy (of HRSA, HHS) and the Economic Research Service (of Department of Agriculture). The lead co-investigators are Gary Hart, PhD, (Center for Rural Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota) and John Cromartie, PhD (Economic Research Service (ERS), Department of Agriculture).
  2. Both Census tract and ZIP code versions of RUCA 3 were created in collaboration.
  3. The RUCA Census tract version and accompanying text are available at the following Economic Research Service website address:
    http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-commuting-area-codes.aspx#.U20K1F50H0A
  4. The download of the ZIP code RUCA Version 3.10 is available at the bottom of this page.
  5. A website is currently under construction regarding geographic rural taxonomies that will feature RUCAs and the new Frontier and Remote taxonomy Version 1.0. This new site will allow downloads by individual states and the whole nation. It will contain extensive information on the definitions and include maps. For information now, see the ERS web address above and/or the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center RUCA website at address: http://depts.washington.edu/uwruca/ruca-data.php
    Versions 1 and 2 of the RUCA's were developed with the same team (including Dr. Richard Morrill) at the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center, while Dr. Hart was there and at the ERS.
  6. The ZIP download file has 6 variables and 41,050 cases (ZIP codes). The first row of the file contains the variable names as shown below.
  7. There are basically two types of ZIP codes in the file: a) residential ZIP code areas, and 2) point ZIP codes (e.g., USPS post office box ZIPs). The file contains 30,240 residential ZIP codes and 10,810 point ZIP codes.
  8. The 6 variables in the file are as follows:
    1. ZIPCODEN : Numeric ZIP code (residential and point)
    2. ZIPCODEA : Alpha ZIP code (residential and point)
    3. ZIPTYPE : Type of ZIP code (1=residential, 2=point)
    4. RESZIPN : Numeric residential ZIP codes (wherein point ZIPs have been converted into the residential ZIP codes where they are located using latitude and longitude)(all residential ZIP codes have the same ZIP code in variables ZIPCODEN and RESZIPN)
    5. RESZIPA : Same as RESZIPN except in alpha format.
    6. RUCA30 : The ZIP RUCA 3.0 codes based on 2010 Census work-commuting data, 2012 Census Bureau revised urban area definition based on 2010 Census data, and 2013 ZIP codes.
  9. RUCA Version 3.00 was updated to Version 3.10 on 8/4/14. Version 3.10 fixes some duplicate point zip codes.
  10. It is anticipated that in about two months there will be a very minor update to ZIP RUCA 3.2. In order to check the few areas where Census tracts and ZIP code areas did not totally overlap, we are using maps to check the codes. It is unlikely that there will be many changes and even less likely that much population will be involved (e.g., >0.001%).
  11. If you have questions, please email Dr. Gary Hart at the following email address: gary.hart@med.und.edu

Download RUCA 3.10 (CSV)