The TIGER/Line shapefiles and related database files (.dbf) are an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File / Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database (MTDB). The MTDB represents a seamless national file with no overlaps or gaps between parts, however, each TIGER/Line shapefile is designed to stand alone as an independent data set, or they can be combined to cover the entire nation. This data set represents the boundaries of the 2020 Census Tracts, extracted from the MTDB in 2020. The feature class was re-projected from the Census Bureau shapefile tl_2020_34_tract20.shp . Census tracts are small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a county or equivalent entity, and were defined by local participants as part of the 2020 Census Participant Statistical Areas Program. The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people. Physical changes in street patterns caused by highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. For additional references to explain the data, see Supplemental Information.
The data layer is not survey data and must not be used as survey data. See the balance of this metadata record for conditions that limit appropriate uses. Users are urged to look at this documentation to assess the fitness of the data for any planned use. Acknowledgement of the providers, U. S. Census Bureau; and NJ Office of Information Technology, Office of GIS (NJOGIS), is requested for maps, data or other products derived from these data. The State of New Jersey makes great effort to provide secure, accurate, and complete data and metadata. However, portions of the data and metadata may be incorrect or not current. Any errors or omissions should be reported for investigation. The State of New Jersey, its officers, employees or agents shall not be liable for damages or losses of any kind arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of data and metadata, including but not limited to, damages or losses caused by reliance upon the accuracy or timeliness of any such data and metadata, or damages incurred from the viewing, distributing, or copying of those materials. The data and metadata are provided "as is." No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to the data and metadata, or its hyperlinks to other Internet resources. The State disclaims any duty or obligation either to maintain availability of or to update the data and metadata. All web site data distribution by NJOGIS is, in addition, subject to the Conditions of Use for State of New Jersey executive branch web sites, listed on the State’s Legal Statement & Disclaimers page https://www.nj.gov/nj/legal.html .