RUCA Data
Code Definitions: Version 2.0
1 Metropolitan area core: primary flow within an Urbanized Area (UA)
1.0 No additional code
1.1 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a larger UA
2 Metropolitan area high commuting: primary flow 30% or more to a UA
2.0 No additional code
2.1 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a larger UA
3 Metropolitan area low commuting: primary flow 10% to 30% to a UA
3.0 No additional code
4 Micropolitan* area core: primary flow within an Urban Cluster (UC) of 10,000 through 49,999 (large UC)
4.0 No additional code
4.1 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a UA
4.2 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a UA
5 Micropolitan* high commuting: primary flow 30% or more to a large UC
5.0 No additional code
5.1 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a UA
5.2 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a UA
6 Micropolitan* low commuting: primary flow 10% to 30% to a large UC
6.0 No additional code
6.1 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a UA
7 Small town core: primary flow within an Urban Cluster of 2,500 through 9,999 (small UC)
7.0 No additional code
7.1 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a UA
7.2 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a large UC
7.3 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a UA
7.4 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a large UC
8 Small town high commuting: primary flow 30% or more to a small UC
8.0 No additional code
8.1 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a UA
8.2 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a large UC
8.3 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a UA
8.4 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a large UC
9 Small town low commuting: primary flow 10% through 29% to a small UC
9.0 No additional code
9.1 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a UA
9.2 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a large UC
10 Rural areas: primary flow to a tract outside a UA or UC (including self)
10.0 No additional code
10.1 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a UA
10.2 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a large UC
10.3 Secondary flow 30% through 49% to a small UC
10.4 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a UA
10.5 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a large UC
10.6 Secondary flow 10% through 29% to a small UC
UA=Urbanized Area
UC=Urban Cluster
*The county-based term “micropolitan” was introduced by the Census Bureau per the 2000 Census. These Urban Clusters of from 10,000-49,999 population have historically been counted as Non Metropolitan (OMB definition) and their definition has not substantially changed. The term is used in this table for consistency. Alternatively the term “Large Rural” or “Large Rural City/Town” could be substituted for “micropolitan” (the “Large Rural” link provides a pdf that includes the substitution). If the Census Bureau had taken a less urbancentric view, they might have named the “micropolitan” category something more rural oriented like “macro-rural”. In addition, on the alternate table “small town” is labeled “small rural town” and “rural areas” is labeled “isolated small rural areas”.
Note: When thinking about the RUCA coding scheme, it is important not only to think of the stated criteria for a code but to consider the specific criteria for the other codes that did not apply and that allowed a Census tract/ZIP code area to be coded with a specific code.