District Urbanization Index 2022: urbanization-index-2022.csv

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This directory contains FiveThirtyEight’s groupings of congressional districts used in the 2022 election using FiveThirtyEight’s urbanization index. It was used in the following FiveThirtyEight article:

urbanization-index-2022.csv contains information on each congressional district, including its urbanization index value, its categorization based on that value and the share of its population living in types of census tracts.

The urbanization index is calculated as the natural logarithm of the average number of people living within a five-mile radius of every census tract in a given district, based on a weighted average of the population of each census tract. The population of a census tract is according to 2020 census data. This provides a numerical value for how urban or rural a district is. Using this index, we created six groupings for all congressional districts based on their density, which are listed below:

  • Dense Urban: urbanization index of 13 or higher;
  • Urban-Suburban: urbanization index from 12.5 up to 13;
  • Dense Suburban: urbanization index from 11.5 up to 12.5;
  • Suburban-Exurban: urbanization index from 10.5 up to 11.5;
  • Rural-Exurban: urbanization index from 9.5 up to 10.5;
  • Mostly Rural: urbanization index below 9.5.

Along with the density consideration, the districts in each grouping have a relatively similar share of their population living in census tracts that we define as rural, exurban or small town, suburban or small city, or urban core or large city. Those categories are defined as follows:

  • rural: fewer than 25,000 people live within a five-mile radius of a census tract;
  • exurban or small town: between 25,000 and 99,999 people within a five-mile radius;
  • suburban or small city: between 100,000 and 249,999 people within a five-mile radius;
  • urban core or large city: 250,000 or more people within a five-mile radius.

urbanization-index-2022.csv includes the following variables:

Header Description
stcd A character variable containing the state abbreviation and congressional district number of the district observation. A concatenated variable of “state” and “cd” variables. The congressional districts for at-large seats in states with only one district are listed as 01 (for example, Alaska’s lone seat is AK-01).
state The state abbreviation.
cd The congressional district number.
pvi_22 FiveThirtyEight’s partisan lean for each congressional district ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Positive values indicate a Democratic lean, negative values indicate a Republican lean. Partisan lean is the average margin difference between how a state or district votes and how the country votes overall. This version of partisan lean, meant to be used for congressional and gubernatorial elections, is calculated as 50 percent the state or district’s lean relative to the nation in the most recent presidential election, 25 percent its relative lean in the second-most-recent presidential election and 25 percent a custom state-legislative lean based on the statewide popular vote in the last four state House elections.
urbanindex FiveThirtyEight’s urbanization index for each congressional district. The urbanization index is the natural logarithm of the average number of people living within a five-mile radius of every census tract in a given district, based on a weighted average of the population of each census tract in the 2020 census.
rural The percentage of the district population that live in census tracts where fewer than 25,000 people live within a five-mile radius.
exurban The percentage of the district population that live in census tracts where between 25,000 and 99,999 people live within a five-mile radius.
suburban The percentage of the district population that live in census tracts where between 100,000 and 249,999 people live within a five-mile radius.
urban The percentage of the district population that live in census tracts where 250,000 or more people within a five-mile radius.
grouping FiveThirtyEight’s categorization of congressional districts based on their urbanization index. Dense Urban districts have an urbanization index of 13 or higher; Urban-Suburban districts have an urbanization index from 12.5 up to 13; Dense Suburban districts have an urbanization index from 11.5 up to 12.5; Suburban-Exurban districts have an urbanization index from 10.5 up to 11.5; Rural-Exurban districts have an urbanization index from 9.5 up to 10.5; and Mostly Rural districts have an urbanization index below 9.5.

Data license: CC Attribution 4.0 License · Data source: fivethirtyeight/data on GitHub · About: simonw/fivethirtyeight-datasette

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Link rowid ▼ stcd state cd pvi_22 urbanindex rural exurban suburban urban grouping
1 1 NY-12 NY 12 67.84485 14.9034 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
2 2 NY-07 NY 7 62.84295 14.85414 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
3 3 NY-09 NY 9 51.11625 14.69678 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
4 4 NY-13 NY 13 77.13841 14.69063 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
5 5 NY-15 NY 15 70.80064 14.65565 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
6 6 NY-10 NY 10 69.15202 14.653 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
7 7 NY-14 NY 14 56.85355 14.64697 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
8 8 NY-08 NY 8 52.59645 14.51535 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
9 9 NY-06 NY 6 30.68878 14.4845 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
10 10 NJ-08 NJ 8 44.81578 13.9866 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
11 11 CA-37 CA 37 72.12852 13.94794 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
12 12 CA-34 CA 34 63.64585 13.78271 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
13 13 NY-05 NY 5 61.75185 13.78018 0.0 0.0 8.8254 91.1746 Dense Urban
14 14 IL-07 IL 7 70.01641 13.64136 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
15 15 PA-03 PA 3 77.42617 13.63714 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
16 16 CA-43 CA 43 63.03172 13.62739 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
17 17 NY-11 NY 11 -10.66432 13.62688 0.0 0.0 1.26267 98.73733 Dense Urban
18 18 CA-11 CA 11 71.46098 13.56329 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
19 19 MA-07 MA 7 73.41101 13.54608 0.0 0.0 4.52896 95.47105 Dense Urban
20 20 NJ-10 NJ 10 56.45874 13.49694 0.0 0.0 1.17628 98.82372 Dense Urban
21 21 PA-02 PA 2 41.2161 13.47543 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
22 22 CA-46 CA 46 29.67886 13.41158 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
23 23 IL-04 IL 4 43.98454 13.3979 0.0 0.0 0.7098 99.29021 Dense Urban
24 24 CA-42 CA 42 43.72082 13.38775 0.4334 0.0 0.0 99.5666 Dense Urban
25 25 NJ-09 NJ 9 15.24978 13.36543 0.0 0.0 5.73964 94.26036 Dense Urban
26 26 CA-30 CA 30 44.73495 13.35822 0.0 0.0 7.86916 92.13084 Dense Urban
27 27 IL-03 IL 3 38.58894 13.31683 0.0 0.0 25.49308 74.50693 Dense Urban
28 28 CA-44 CA 44 47.29339 13.30183 0.0 0.0 8.28688 91.71312 Dense Urban
29 29 CA-29 CA 29 50.88079 13.2762 0.0 0.0 2.52049 97.47951 Dense Urban
30 30 CA-45 CA 45 4.78495 13.2715 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Dense Urban
31 31 IL-05 IL 5 35.37555 13.26219 0.0 3.30435 10.48621 86.20944 Dense Urban
32 32 NY-16 NY 16 40.47605 13.2321 0.0 16.07522 4.52095 79.40383 Dense Urban
33 33 NY-04 NY 4 10.48078 13.14159 0.0 0.0 4.71479 95.28521 Dense Urban
34 34 CA-36 CA 36 40.47532 13.0746 0.0 0.54002 4.10477 95.35521 Dense Urban
35 35 VA-08 VA 8 48.50932 13.06868 0.0 0.25793 7.66585 92.07622 Dense Urban
36 36 CA-38 CA 38 28.38142 13.05118 0.0 0.0 5.93544 94.06456 Dense Urban
37 37 CA-12 CA 12 76.75992 12.99689 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Urban-Suburban
38 38 FL-24 FL 24 50.94726 12.99463 0.0 0.0 7.0975 92.9025 Urban-Suburban
39 39 CA-28 CA 28 30.36786 12.95812 1.03348 0.0 14.90266 84.06387 Urban-Suburban
40 40 CA-31 CA 31 29.30782 12.91872 0.0 0.0 7.00371 92.99629 Urban-Suburban
41 41 MD-07 MD 7 54.89995 12.91544 0.36384 1.22802 7.37455 91.03359 Urban-Suburban
42 42 IL-09 IL 9 37.84988 12.90872 0.0 4.56693 15.39779 80.03529 Urban-Suburban
43 43 TX-07 TX 7 24.02334 12.90726 0.0 0.0 10.87365 89.12634 Urban-Suburban
44 44 CO-01 CO 1 55.18893 12.90034 0.0 0.0 11.05843 88.94157 Urban-Suburban
45 45 CA-17 CA 17 45.65845 12.89651 0.0 0.0 15.23174 84.76826 Urban-Suburban
46 46 MN-05 MN 5 57.10334 12.88577 0.0 0.0 1.84084 98.15916 Urban-Suburban
47 47 CA-32 CA 32 38.44398 12.8771 1.78239 3.24591 6.06115 88.91055 Urban-Suburban
48 48 CA-52 CA 52 36.34772 12.86991 0.0 0.60785 15.86554 83.52662 Urban-Suburban
49 49 FL-27 FL 27 0.78253 12.86377 1.1272 0.81695 10.64414 87.41171 Urban-Suburban
50 50 WA-07 WA 7 69.83062 12.81346 1.42936 0.0 11.75283 86.8178 Urban-Suburban
51 51 WI-04 WI 4 47.8755 12.77521 0.0 0.59588 11.72757 87.67655 Urban-Suburban
52 52 CA-51 CA 51 22.25315 12.76409 0.0 0.0 19.63418 80.36581 Urban-Suburban
53 53 TX-32 TX 32 24.14067 12.76321 0.0 0.0 6.55905 93.44095 Urban-Suburban
54 54 CA-47 CA 47 6.14719 12.75985 0.0 0.0 10.67807 89.32193 Urban-Suburban
55 55 MA-05 MA 5 49.78761 12.75613 0.0 4.54176 27.50935 67.9489 Urban-Suburban
56 56 CA-15 CA 15 54.16849 12.74003 0.0 0.0 33.31747 66.68253 Urban-Suburban
57 57 PA-05 PA 5 27.6734 12.70543 0.0 1.99209 39.26854 58.73938 Urban-Suburban
58 58 CA-16 CA 16 49.61195 12.69778 2.59003 3.58978 8.29784 85.52235 Urban-Suburban
59 59 MD-08 MD 8 52.81252 12.69373 0.0 3.56165 18.40958 78.02878 Urban-Suburban
60 60 CA-35 CA 35 26.44165 12.69247 0.0 0.0 19.94279 80.05721 Urban-Suburban
61 61 AZ-03 AZ 3 44.24546 12.67575 0.0 0.57878 25.95139 73.46983 Urban-Suburban
62 62 MD-04 MD 4 74.89958 12.67143 0.0 3.20837 25.9679 70.82374 Urban-Suburban
63 63 MI-12 MI 12 43.94941 12.66166 0.0 0.0 13.13971 86.86029 Urban-Suburban
64 64 TX-09 TX 9 49.13077 12.64574 0.0 0.72506 31.30436 67.97058 Urban-Suburban
65 65 TX-18 TX 18 42.67667 12.6062 0.0 0.51893 20.00699 79.47408 Urban-Suburban
66 66 FL-25 FL 25 17.92336 12.59246 0.0 4.54294 20.29853 75.15853 Urban-Suburban
67 67 NV-01 NV 1 4.06932 12.57916 1.98704 4.40533 19.10526 74.50238 Urban-Suburban
68 68 AZ-04 AZ 4 1.52573 12.56294 0.0 2.66154 18.40685 78.93161 Urban-Suburban
69 69 CA-06 CA 6 14.17135 12.55663 0.22733 2.90858 20.91764 75.94645 Urban-Suburban
70 70 CO-06 CO 6 16.7114 12.55418 0.24937 2.69471 24.02318 73.03275 Urban-Suburban
71 71 FL-23 FL 23 8.76903 12.53913 0.0 0.0 32.95565 67.04435 Urban-Suburban
72 72 TX-20 TX 20 26.45514 12.52761 0.0 0.73043 28.96303 70.30654 Urban-Suburban
73 73 CA-40 CA 40 -3.84595 12.52466 0.20893 1.43567 33.90416 64.45125 Urban-Suburban
74 74 FL-20 FL 20 49.11082 12.52127 4.72279 0.92415 22.85421 71.49884 Urban-Suburban
75 75 IL-06 IL 6 6.17715 12.51739 0.0 0.0 38.37469 61.62531 Urban-Suburban
76 76 OH-03 OH 3 38.02023 12.51553 0.0 2.10628 28.73309 69.16063 Urban-Suburban
77 77 CA-33 CA 33 23.12529 12.51408 0.0 0.50863 31.11848 68.37289 Urban-Suburban
78 78 NV-03 NV 3 1.81552 12.51288 1.89815 2.14212 19.93534 76.02438 Urban-Suburban
79 79 GA-05 GA 5 59.93836 12.50446 0.0 0.0 37.83991 62.16009 Urban-Suburban
80 80 NJ-05 NJ 5 5.08421 12.50314 7.26614 11.51854 18.28944 62.92589 Urban-Suburban
81 81 MI-13 MI 13 45.90091 12.4986 0.0 1.57627 34.99855 63.42517 Dense Suburban
82 82 NY-03 NY 3 4.02841 12.46215 0.0 6.26129 53.23827 40.50043 Dense Suburban
83 83 TX-29 TX 29 34.99397 12.45498 0.0 0.0 34.91613 65.08386 Dense Suburban
84 84 TX-24 TX 24 -22.76236 12.45018 0.0 0.0 41.45675 58.54325 Dense Suburban
85 85 WA-09 WA 9 40.20969 12.43778 0.0 0.0 54.51665 45.48335 Dense Suburban
86 86 TX-37 TX 37 43.84511 12.43119 0.0 3.58959 33.87406 62.53635 Dense Suburban
87 87 MA-08 MA 8 34.04748 12.42628 0.4558 6.63876 55.05499 37.85045 Dense Suburban
88 88 TX-38 TX 38 -27.06739 12.42589 0.0 4.46802 31.08723 64.44476 Dense Suburban
89 89 TX-33 TX 33 43.77961 12.42466 0.0 0.0 54.33693 45.66307 Dense Suburban
90 90 OH-11 OH 11 54.52506 12.4239 0.0 1.35547 37.30323 61.3413 Dense Suburban
91 91 VA-11 VA 11 32.06655 12.42183 0.0 0.56497 54.15883 45.2762 Dense Suburban
92 92 MI-10 MI 10 -5.41146 12.41793 0.0 1.09897 40.76994 58.13109 Dense Suburban
93 93 FL-10 FL 10 28.96999 12.39927 0.0 3.18617 31.20566 65.60817 Dense Suburban
94 94 IL-01 IL 1 40.64404 12.39519 5.06601 16.42085 17.50636 61.00677 Dense Suburban
95 95 CA-50 CA 50 27.54005 12.38566 0.0 0.32986 64.96494 34.70519 Dense Suburban
96 96 CA-07 CA 7 33.90592 12.37742 2.99271 5.42924 24.05268 67.52537 Dense Suburban
97 97 MO-01 MO 1 52.21677 12.366 0.0 2.02042 47.53374 50.44584 Dense Suburban
98 98 FL-26 FL 26 -13.64884 12.35861 6.99775 12.3854 11.24655 69.37031 Dense Suburban
99 99 CA-14 CA 14 41.98809 12.35435 2.01143 5.63854 26.31208 66.03796 Dense Suburban
100 100 NJ-11 NJ 11 9.16848 12.35098 1.32294 9.25834 48.49162 40.9271 Dense Suburban

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CREATE TABLE "district-urbanization-index-2022/urbanization-index-2022" (
"stcd" TEXT,
  "state" TEXT,
  "cd" INTEGER,
  "pvi_22" REAL,
  "urbanindex" REAL,
  "rural" REAL,
  "exurban" REAL,
  "suburban" REAL,
  "urban" REAL,
  "grouping" TEXT
);