TIGERLine

TIGERLine, or TIGER/Line Shapefiles, is a dataset produced by the United States Census Bureau as part of the TIGER system (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing). It provides digital geographic features used for mapping, geospatial analysis, and supports geocoding and address matching operations. The data are designed to help users work with street networks, administrative boundaries, and other geographic entities in a consistent, machine-readable format.

The TIGER/Line files encompass multiple feature classes, including line features for roads and railways, polygon features for boundaries such as tracts, block groups, counties, and states, and point features for places and geographic identifiers. Each feature carries attributes describing its type, name, codes, and other metadata, while built-in topology preserves spatial relationships and connectivity among features.

TIGER/Line Shapefiles are released by the Census Bureau and distributed publicly, typically on an annual or cycle-aligned basis with census products. They are available at national, state, and sometimes county levels, and are widely used with GIS software for mapping, spatial analysis, redistricting, and geocoding. The files are provided as shapefiles along with supplementary documentation, such as index and readme files, to assist interpretation and use. The TIGER system serves as the geographic backbone for Census operations and for broader applications requiring street networks, administrative boundaries, and geographic identifiers. Users should consult the accompanying documentation and licensing terms, and remain aware that boundaries and road data can change between releases.