Dear Transportation Analysts:

With the release of  2005 ACS,  the Census Bureau has included PUMAs as a tabulation geography.  You can use American FactFinder to access the PUMA tabulations.  http://factfinder.census.gov    The population threshold for tabulation from 1-year data accumulation from ACS is 65,000, so a PUMA, with a population threshold of 100,000 meets this requirement.   This is mostly a benefit to very large counties (to be able to get sub-county tabulations), or areas with many small jurisdictions which fall under the 65,000 population threshold. 

Below is the link to the 5% PUMA maps.

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/maps/puma5pct.htm

Has anyone looked at the PUMA tabulations for their area yet?  If so, please share your results with this listserv.  Thanks in advance!

Since PUMAs are being used as tabulation geography, there is more incentive for transportation planners to work with their State Data Centers when PUMAs are re-defined for the 2010 Census. 

Elaine Murakami

FHWA Office of Planning

206-220-4460