ZCTA

ZCTA stands for ZIP Code Tabulation Area. It is a U.S. Census Bureau geographic entity. ZCTAs are approximations of U.S. Postal Service ZIP Code service areas. They are designed to represent areas for which the U.S. Census Bureau can tabulate demographic data. Because ZIP codes are primarily for mail delivery, their boundaries can be complex and do not always align with census tract or other administrative boundaries. ZCTAs are created by the Census Bureau to address this by providing a more consistent geographic unit for data tabulation.

The U.S. Postal Service defines ZIP Codes, and these definitions can change over time. The Census Bureau then uses these definitions to create ZCTAs. The boundaries of ZCTAs are drawn so that they do not cross ZIP Code boundaries. However, a single ZIP Code may be represented by multiple ZCTAs if its service area is not contiguous or if it spans across different census tracts in a way that requires splitting for tabulation purposes. ZCTAs are primarily used for statistical purposes and are not intended to reflect legal or administrative boundaries. They are updated periodically to reflect changes in ZIP Code service areas.