Topographically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) is a series of spatial data releases managed by the US Census Bureau. Many of its smaller area geographic divisions known as Census tracts and blocks are used as a standard in spatial analyses.
TIGER = Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing
TIGER products are spatial extracts from the Census Bureau's MAF/TIGER database, containing features such as roads, railroads, rivers, as well as legal and statistical geographic areas. The Census Bureau offers several file types and an online mapping application.
TIGER has many types of spatial datasets that are released at least once a year, including:
- Water bodies
- Roads
- Highways
- Rail
- Government Landmarks
- States
- Metropolitan Statistical Areas
- Counties
- Places (Aka cities/unincorporated areas)
- Tracts
- Block groups
- Blocks
- ZIP Codes (through the edges shapefiles)
- Zip Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA) - Areas dominated by one particular zip code
- School Districts
- Voting Districts
- Traffic Analysis Zones
The information is available on an FTP server.
