If the size of the full data file is too large and distances for only a handful of ZIPs is required, then running the calculations for the necessary ZIP codes only using the ZCTA centroid data file might be one helpful approach.
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA) are from Census 2000 SF1, Census 2010 SF1, and Gazetteer files.
2010 and 2000 Decennial Census Short Form (SF1) ZCTA-level data for is also available.
Jean Roth created the SAS, Stata, and CSV distance files to make the data easier to use.
The size of the file increases with the radius. Smaller files (<= 25 or <= 50 miles) may be easier to use if only ZIP Code distances <= 25 or <= 50 miles respectively are needed. The ∞ has all combinations of ZIP Codes.
Information that might be helpful for opening the large files in Access or Excel is available.
Census ZCTA Centroids
| Year | File Types |
|---|---|
| 1990 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
| 2000 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
| 2010 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
| 2015 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
| 2016 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
Census Zip Code Distance Data
| Year | File Types |
|---|---|
| 1990 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
| 2000 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
| 2010 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
| 2015 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
| 2016 | dta, sas, csv, desc |
Contact data@nber.org with questions, comments, or suggestions.
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