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Census TigerLine files now offered as shapefiles, geodatabases and GeoPackages
Summary
The Census Bureau said TigerLine spatial extracts have been distributed since 1992; they are now available as shapefiles, file geodatabases (since 2013) and GeoPackages (since 2024), with plans to harmonize attributes across formats.
Kevin Holly, speaking for the Geography Division, reviewed the evolution of TigerLine outputs and current formats, and explained why different formats exist.
"We've been providing TIGER line files to the public since 1992," Holly said, tracing a shift from legacy fixed‑length ASCII releases to shapefiles in 2007, the introduction of file geodatabases in 2013, and GeoPackages in 2024. He told attendees the Bureau plans to expand geodatabase and GeoPackage attributes so they match the shapefile attribute sets.
Holly recommended users choose output formats according to workflow: shapefiles and geodatabases for traditional GIS analysis, and GeoPackage as an open alternative for cross‑platform portability. He also noted some attribute differences across formats today and encouraged practitioners to check product pages for the specific fields and download links.
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