Geographic Files and Maps

What's On These Pages?

• Reference maps
• Thematic maps
• ArcGIS shapefiles
• Tables that equate census block geography to various City of Seattle neighborhood areas

Background on Census Geography

The Census Bureau provides data for many geographic areas, including counties, cities (called places by the U.S. Census Bureau), census tracts, block groups, and blocks. Seattle is divided into 131 census tracts and extends slightly into three additional census tracts. Seattle's census tracts are divided into 482 block groups (some partial). The block groups are further divided into 11,512 blocks. Blocks are the smallest geographic areas used by the Census Bureau. Blocks are nested in block groups which are, in turn, nested in census tracts.

Spatial Reference Information

The City of Seattle standard projection and datum for geospatial data layers is State Plane Washington North, North American Datum 1983 HARN in units of US feet. All of the GIS layers have been re-projected to the City of Seattle standard projection and coordinate system.

U.S. Census Bureau Reference Maps

Seattle Tract Map 

Download the Census Bureau Tract Map.

• Reference map shows and labels the census tracts as delineated for the 2010 Census
• Displays a base feature network including roads, railroads, and water bodies
• Map sheet size is 36 by 32 inches

Seattle Block Maps

Download the Census 2010 block index map.

• Large-scale maps show the boundaries and numbers for all census blocks within a county
• Refer to the index map to identify map coverage for all 14 block maps, then view block map files below by number
• Map sheet size is 36 by 32 inches

Download the block maps:

1 | 2 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 67 | 68 | 69

City of Seattle Maps

Reference Maps

Map sheet size is 11 by 17 inches.

• 2010 Census Tract Map
• 2010 Census Tracts and Zip Code Areas Map
• Seattle Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA)

Thematic Maps

Maps are Census tract-based maps (except where otherwise noted) and the sheet size is 11 by 17 inches.

ArcGIS Shapefiles

2010 Census geographic files derived from Census 2010 TIGER/Line files, projected to the City of Seattle standard projection and coordinate system.

• King County Tracts (ZIP file)
• King County Block Groups (ZIP file)
• King County Blocks (ZIP file)

Census Geography to Neighborhood Equivalency Files

Excel file that may be used for correlating 2010 census blocks to various neighborhood areas within the City of Seattle.

• Seattle Census Blocks and Neighborhoods Correlation

U.S. Census Bureau Reference Maps

Census Bureau Tract Maps for Seattle

• Reference maps shows and labels the census tracts as delineated for the 2000 Census
• Displays a base feature network including roads, railroads, and water bodies
• Map sheet size is 36 by 32 inches

Download the Census 2000 tract maps for:

• North Seattle (KC Tile 1)
• South Seattle (KC Tile 6)
• Greenlake to Wallingford/Ballard to Univ. Dist. (KC Tile A1)
• Queen Anne/Downtown/Capitol Hill/Central Dist. (KC Tile A2)
• Magnuson Park/Sand Point Area (KC Tile 2)
• Seward Park/Rainier Beach Area (KC Tile 7)

Census Bureau Block Maps for Seattle

• Large-scale maps show the boundaries and numbers for all census blocks within a county
• Refer to the index map to identify map coverage for all 27 block maps, then view block map files below by number
• Map sheet size is 36 by 32 inches

Download the Census 2000 block index map.

Download the Census 2000 block maps:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 I 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 I 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27

City of Seattle Maps

Reference Maps

Map sheet size is 11 by 17 inches.

• 2000 Census Tract Map
• 2000 Census Tracts and Zip Code Areas Map
• Seattle Public Use Microdata Area
• 2000 Seattle Population Sub-Areas

ArcGIS Shapefiles
2000 Census geographic files derived from Census 2000 TIGER/Line files, projected to the City of Seattle standard projection and coordinate system.

• City of Seattle Tracts (ZIP file)

Census Data and Geography Issues

Most of the challenges in comparing data from one decennial census to another relate to changes in geography or changes in subject matter content. Changes in geography affect the physical area for which data is being reported. Changes in subject matter affect the questionnaire responses and categories of the data itself. For more information, see the Decennial Census Data Issues page.

The Census Bureau redraws the geography every 10 years for the following reasons:

• Physical changes such as new streets
• Increases or decreases in population

2000 to 2010 Geographic Comparability

There were a number of changes in the census geography in the City of Seattle for the 2010 Census. The following table identifies the major geographic changes at the census tract level:

Additional changes in geography are:

• Various tract boundaries - tract boundaries may have been adjusted to match physical features
• Census block identifiers - blocks have been renumbered and will not match the block designations from 2000
• Census block groups - groups may change significantly and should be carefully compared with 2000

1990 to 2000 Geographic Comparability

There were a number of changes in the census geography in the City of Seattle for the 2000 Census. The following table identifies the major geographic changes at the census tract level:

Additional changes in geography are:

• Various tract boundaries - tract boundaries may have been adjusted to match physical features; some significant change around shoreline areas
• Census block identifiers - blocks have been renumbered and are now four digits, with the leading digit representing the block group
• Census block groups - groups may change significantly and should be carefully compared with 1990