Class Codes

This appendix lists definitions for the FIPS Class Codes.

Class C—Incorporated Places

Class Code Description
C1 Identifies an active incorporated place that is not also recognized as an Alaska Native Village Statistical area, and does not also serve as a primary county division; that is, it is included in and is part of a primary county division.

For example, the city of Hammond, Indiana is within and part of North township; the city of Austin, Texas is within and part of several census county divisions in several counties; Hammond and Austin are coded C1.

C2 Identifies an incorporated place that also serves as a primary county division because, although the place is coextensive with a minor civil division (MCD), the Census Bureau, in agreement with State officials, does not recognize the MCD for presenting census data because the MCD is a nonfunctioning entity; applies to Iowa and Ohio only.

For example, the city of Dubuque, Iowa is coextensive with Julien township, which does not function as a governmental unit and may not be well-known even to local residents; the city is assigned code C2, and the township, Z8. This subclass is new for FIPS 55-3. Also see subclass C5.

C3 Identifies a consolidated city; that is, an incorporated place that has consolidated its governmental functions with a county or MCD, but continues to include other incorporated places that are legally part of the consolidated government.

For example, the city of Columbus, Georgia is consolidated with Muscogee County, which continues to exist as a nonfunctioning legal entity in the State; however, the town of Bibb City continues to exist as a separate active incorporated place within the consolidated government and, therefore, Columbus is treated as a consolidated city. At the time of publication, there are seven consolidated cities in the United States: Athens-Clarke County, Georgia; Butte-Silver Bow, Montana; Columbus, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Jacksonville, Florida; Milford, Connecticut; and Nashville-Davidson, Tennessee. This subclass is new for FIPS 55-3.
C4 Identifies an alternate authoritative common name of any member of the other subclasses of Class C. The entity code of the legal name is referenced in the ``Other Name Code'' of the record, and in the entry for the legal name, the Other Name Code references the alternate.

For example, the entity in California whose legal name is San Buenaventura (subclass C1) is commonly known as Ventura, which is coded C4.

C5 Identifies an incorporated place that also serves as a primary county division; that is, it is not included in any adjacent primary county division of class T or Z. For example, Boston, MA, is legally a primary division of the county and recognized as an incorporated place and, therefore, is coded C5. Also see subclass C2.
C6 Identifies an incorporated place that is coincident with or approximates an Alaska Native Village statistical area. The Other Name Code references the Alaska Native Village statistical area; see code E6.
C7 Identifies an independent city. At the time of publication, independent cities exist in only four States: Maryland (Baltimore City), Nevada (Carson City), Missouri (St. Louis City), and Virginia (41 cities). These cities also serve as county equivalents, and all but Carson City also serve as primary county divisions.
C8 Identifies the portion of a consolidated city that is not within another incorporated place; see subclass C3. The Census Bureau identifies these nonfunctioning entities by taking the name of the consolidated city and appending in parentheses the word remainder. For example, Columbus (remainder) identifies the portion of the Columbus, Georgia consolidated city that is not also in Bibb City. This code is new for FIPS 55-3.
C9 Identifies an inactive or nonfunctioning incorporated place.

Class U—Unincorporated Places (Except Those Associated with Facilities)

Type Descriptions
U1 Identifies a census designated place (CDP) with a name identical to the authoritative common name that describes essentially the same population. Also see code M2.
U2 Identifies a CDP with a name not identical to an authoritative common name of essentially the same area. If there is an alternate authoritative common name, it is referenced in the Other Name Code field. For example, Suitland-Silver Hill, Maryland is the name of a locally delineated CDP recognized by the Census Bureau which is a combination of two communities Suitland and Silver Hill and, therefore, because it is not the authoritative name of the area, is coded U2; Sierra Vista Southeast, Arizona is a CDP that includes the built-up area adjoining the city of Sierra Vista on the southeast, but is not an authoritative name for that area and, therefore, is coded U2. Also see code M2.
U3 Identifies (a) an alternate, authoritative common name of a population essentially described by a specific CDP with a different name (the Other Name Code references the CDP), or (b) a community wholly or substantially within the boundaries of a CDP with a different name (the Part of Code references the CDP). For example, Silver Hill and Suitland are coded U3 and cross-referenced to the CDP of Suitland-Silver Hill (see code U2).
U4 Identifies a populated place wholly or substantially within the boundaries of an incorporated place with a different name; the Part of Code identifies the incorporated place. For example, Harlem and Greenwich Village, which are part of New York city, and Hollywood, which is part of Los Angeles, California, are coded U4.
U5 Dropped. Only one place the CDP of Arlington, Virginia was in this subclass in FIPS PUB 95-2; it has been recoded as U1 as a place and as Z3 as a subclass in FIPS 55-3 as a county subdivision.
U6 Identifies a populated place located wholly or substantially outside the boundaries of any incorporated place or CDP with an authoritative common name recognized by the U.S. Geological Survey.
U8 Identifies a populated place located wholly or substantially outside the boundaries of an incorporated place or CDP but whose name has not been verified as authoritative by the U.S. Geological Survey.
U9 Identifies a CDP that is coincident with or approximates the area of an Alaska Native Village statistical area. The Other Name Code references the Alaska Native Village statistical area; see code E2. This code is new for FIPS 55-3.