Public Use MicroData Area
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A PUMA, or Public Use Microdata Area, is a type of statistical geographic area defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The "2020 PUMA" specifically refers to the PUMAs that were delineated after the 2020 Census.
Here are the key characteristics of a Census 2020 PUMA:
| • | Population: Each PUMA must contain a minimum population of 100,000 people. This threshold is in place to protect the confidentiality of individuals and households in the data. |
| • | Purpose: PUMAs are used for the tabulation and dissemination of microdata from the decennial census and the American Community Survey (ACS). Microdata are individual records of a sample of persons and households, which allow data users to create custom tables and statistics. |
| • | Building Blocks: PUMAs are constructed from whole census tracts and/or counties. |
| • | Geographic Coverage: PUMAs cover the entirety of the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They do not cross state boundaries. |
| • | Periodic Updates: The Census Bureau updates PUMA boundaries every ten years after the decennial census to reflect population shifts. The 2020 PUMAs were implemented in the ACS starting with the 2022 data year. |
| • | Delineation Process: The U.S. Census Bureau works with State Data Centers (SDCs) to define the PUMA boundaries for each state. |
PUMA Delineations (Census Tract Compositions)