censusdesignated

Census-designated place, abbreviated CDP, is a term used by the United States Census Bureau to describe a concentration of population that is identified by name but is not incorporated as a municipality. CDPs are created to provide statistical data for settled, recognizable communities that lack their own local government.

CDPs are delineated for each decennial census, and sometimes updated between censuses, in cooperation with state and local officials. The boundaries aim to reflect the approximate core of the community and its population clusters, without extending into surrounding rural or sparsely populated areas. They do not have any legal status and do not possess their own municipal government; governance and services remain with counties, townships, or other established jurisdictions.

The designation facilitates the collection and publication of demographic, housing, and economic data for areas that resemble cities or towns but are not legally incorporated. This helps researchers, planners, and policymakers analyze population distribution, community characteristics, and trends in areas that would otherwise lack localized census data. Data associated with CDPs are part of decennial census products and may also appear in the American Community Survey, providing long-term statistics for unincorporated communities.

CDP boundaries can change over time to reflect shifts in settlement patterns, growth, or changes in how a community is perceived locally. While useful for statistical comparisons and planning, CDP data should be understood as representations of named communities rather than summaries tied to formal municipal governments.