2020PUMA NSC Program Materials Sept 2021

Request for Non-Substantive Change to the
2020 Public Use Microdata Areas Program
OMB Control No. 0607-1017
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau

Purpose

Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) are non-overlapping, statistical geographic areas that
partition each state or equivalent entity into geographic areas containing no fewer than
100,000 people each. They cover the entirety of the United States, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. PUMAs are a higher level of geography than
census tract, or even county in some instances, and provide all data users with another level of
geography for data analysis.
The Census Bureau is the only federal agency to create PUMAs. Every ten years the Census
Bureau offers State Data Centers the opportunity to delineate PUMAs for the tabulation and
dissemination of decennial census and American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata
Sample (PUMS) data as well as for the dissemination of period estimates from both the ACS and
Puerto Rico Community Survey. PUMS data are valuable to state and local planning
agencies/offices, as well as students, for use in long-range planning and research projects.
PUMS data contain individual records of the characteristics for a sample of persons and
households. They show a full range of population and housing unit responses collected on
individual ACS questionnaires, for a subsample of ACS housing units and group quarters
persons. Without PUMAs and PUMS data, the data community would not be able to create
custom tables and statistics not available through pre-tabulated (or summary) data products.
Approved on July 21, 2021, the current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) collection for
the 2020 PUMA will expire on July 31, 2024. This non-substantive change (NSC) request
provides the finalized program materials and a revised announcement email. The 2020 PUMA
NSC includes the following materials:
•
•
•
•
•
•

2020 PUMA Summary Guide.
2020 PUMA Participant Guide.
2020 PUMA Coding Guidelines.
2020 PUMA Naming Guidelines.
2020 PUMA Frequently Asked Questions.
2020 PUMA Announcement Email (revised 08/16/2021).

Other documentation included in this NSC:
•

Supporting Statement Part B.

Background

The Census Bureau will accept proposed PUMA delineations from State Data Centers through
January 2022. Participants prepare their proposed PUMA delineations using the Geographic
Update Partnership Software and submit them using the Secure Web Incoming Module. Please

note that the resulting, finalized PUMAs will be publicly available online at the conclusion of
Census Bureau processing in the summer of 2022.
There are no substantive changes to the program resulting from these modifications. The
finalized guides/guidelines and the revised email do not alter the content or program
objective. The revisions made to the email were necessary to reflect the most current program
information.

Burden

The burden for the program is unchanged by this update.

Attachments
Action for this NSC

Table 1: Final and Revised Materials for Approval

Material
Identification

Description

Submit final material. 2020 PUMA
Summary Guide

This material includes high-level instructions to
delineate and submit proposed PUMAs.

Submit final material. 2020 PUMA
Participant
Guide

This material includes detailed instructions to
delineate and submit proposed PUMAs.

Submit final material. 2020 PUMA
Coding
Guidelines

This material includes guidelines for assigning
codes to the delineated PUMAs. Rather than
incorporate this content into an already lengthy
participant guide, the program managers
requested a separate document, as was used for
the 2010 program.

Submit final material. 2020 PUMA
Naming
Guidelines

This material includes guidelines for assigning
names to the delineated PUMAs. Rather than
incorporate this content into an already lengthy
participant guide, the program managers
requested a separate document, as was used for
the 2010 program.

Submit final material. 2020 PUMA
This material contains answer to what the
Frequently Asked Census Bureau believes may be frequently asked
Questions
questions regarding the program. It will reside on
the 2020 PUMA web page as a resource for
participants.

Action for this NSC

Material
Identification

Description

Revise the previously
submitted 2020
PUMA
announcement
email.

2020 PUMA
announcement
email (revised
08/16/2021).

This is the revised 2020 PUMA announcement
email that adds mention of the Summary Guide,
Coding Guidelines, and Naming Guidelines as
documents to download and review. This version
also incorporates the OMB Control Number and
Expiration Date. All materials listed in the email
will reside on the 2020 PUMA web page.

2020 Public Use Microdata Areas Program (PUMA) Summary Guide
September 2021

Getting Started
This Summary Guide provides a snapshot of the program and its most important parts. This guide contains only
high-level details on the program and Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS) functionality. The
participant guide and the final criteria documents provide the specifics and instructions that should be
referenced in conjunction with this summary guide for the 2020 PUMA.
State Data Centers (SDCs) should develop a plan to delineate PUMAs. The plan should consider whether the
SDC will complete the delineation on their own or will receive partial state delineations from other
interested data users. The Census Bureau encourages SDCs to reach out to interested data users and
stakeholders in their state to gather input on data requirements. Everyone involved with delineation (e.g.,
SDCs and interested data users) should download the gups.zip file and the program materials (e.g., the
participant guide, final criteria, naming guidelines, coding guidelines, and 2010 PUMA names file) from the
PUMA and 2020 PUMA websites, and save them to a designated folder on a local computer. Everyone
involved should review the program materials prior to installing GUPS.

Download and Install GUPS
Follow the steps below to download and install GUPS. Detailed instructions are in chapter 2 of the
participant guide. Please note that many agencies/organizations require certain security privileges to
download and install external software. Work with your local Information Technology (IT) staff person to
acquire those privileges or ask they assist with GUPS installation.
1) Download the gups.zip file from the 2020 PUMA website to the computer.
2) Unzip the file.
3) Use the left mouse button to double-click the SETUP-.bat file and start the installation. The
anticipated version is 14.0.0-6.
4) When the installer opens, the Welcome to the QGIS ‘Madeira’ Setup window opens. Read the
information on the screen and select Next.

5) The License Agreement screen opens. Review the agreement and select I Agree to continue.
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6) The Choose Install Location screen opens. The Census Bureau recommends installing GUPS at the
default location (e.g., C:\QGIS344) or select Browse to choose the location to install GUPS. Once the
location is set, select Next to continue installation.

7) The Choose Components screen opens with ‘QGIS’ selected and grayed out in the Select
components to install section. Select Install to continue.

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8) The Completing the QGIS 3.4.4 ‘Madeira’ Setup screen reappears to confirm installation. To close the
screen, finish the QGIS update, and launch GUPS, select Finish. The installation can take five to ten
minutes to complete.

9) The GUPS Install Setup: Completed window opens and displays the status of the installation. Select
Close.

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10) Confirm installation by finding QGIS 3.4 in the Start Menu of the computer within the “All Programs”
list. Use the QGIS3 or the QGIS Desktop 3.4.4 to launch GUPS.

IMPORTANT:

U.S. Census Bureau

GUPS users with different security privileges other than IT staff that installed the software may
encounter problems accessing the directories and plugins needed to operate GUPS. This usually
occurs when the software is not installed under the user’s profile. To correct this, have the IT
staff person reinstall GUPS under the user’s profile using the user’s credentials.

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Start a PUMA Project
Follow the steps below to start a PUMA project using the most common options available to participants.
Detailed instructions are in chapter 3 of the participant guide.
1) Select QGIS3 from the Start Menu of the computer to launch GUPS. From the Map Management window,
choose Public Use Microdata Areas for the Program, select your state for the State field, and then Open.

IMPORTANT:

If the Map Management window does not appear, refer to appendix B of the participant guide
for tips on troubleshooting the GUPS installation process.

2) A secondary Map Management window opens to choose the location of the data to use in the
project. From the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location drop-down menu, select Census Web.

Note: Census Web loads the data needed for PUMA delineation directly from a server at the Census Bureau
into the PUMA project. This is the most user-friendly option for participants because it symbolizes the
layers and readies the project for delineation without added burden of downloading, extracting, and
staging the necessary shapefiles. The process of downloading shapefiles and using the My Computer
option are described in the appendix D of participant guide.

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3) The Import Working File window awaits selection for how to begin PUMA delineation. Three
options available for selection are: Create a new blank PUMA layer, Import a PUMA tabular
equivalency file, and Import a PUMA shapefile.

Delineate PUMAs from a Blank Layer
When using the Create a new blank PUMA layer option, GUPS generates an empty (i.e., blank) PUMA layer
named “pumacurrent_XX” (where XX is the two-digit FIPS code for the state) when using this option. This is the
layer where the PUMA delineation work is stored. In the Table of Contents, ensure the tracts2020_XX,
county_XX, and the puma2010_XX layers are turned on/enabled by checking the box next to the layer name.
Use these layers as reference when delineating PUMA boundaries. Follow the steps in this section to
interactively delineate PUMAs using the tools in GUPS. Detailed instructions are in chapter 4.1 of the participant
guide.
1) From the From the Import Working File window, select Create a new blank PUMA layer and then OK.

2) Select the Modify Area Feature button from the PUMA toolbar. The Modify Area Feature window
opens. Note: The Census Bureau staff recommend moving the window to the left or right of the Map
View to dock it for later use.

3) In the Modify Area Feature window, confirm the Geography menu displays Public Use Microdata
Areas. Set the Action menu to New Entity.

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4) From the Modify Area Feature window, change the Select Feature(s) button to Select Features by
Geography. Note: There are five options for selecting features; however, the summary guide only
highlights this one option.

5) A secondary window, Select by Geography, opens to reveal the two layers (Census Tracts and
County) available to select for the PUMA delineation. With the selection of a layer, the Table of
Content updates to activate the selected layer.

6) Use the mouse to select the census tracts or county(s) in the Map View. As census tracts and/or
counties are selected, the Map View highlights the selected geographies and the Modify Area
Feature window updates to show the Population of the selected geographies. This information
assists with knowing whether the selected geographies meet the population threshold requirements
for valid PUMAs.
7) When all the census tracts and/or counties are selected for a new PUMA, select the Add Entity
button in the Modify Area Feature window.

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8) A secondary Modify Area Feature window opens. GUPS automatically populates the PUMACE field
based on the next available five-digit numeric code. Confirm the new PUMA code or enter a different
code and enter the NAME. Both fields are required. Provide a justification in the JUSTIFY field if
necessary.

9) Select the Save Project button from the Standard toolbar to save edits and to save the project.

10) Repeat the steps above as many times as necessary to delineate new PUMAs.

Modify or Delete a PUMA
Delineated PUMAs may need boundary changes, attribute changes, or even deletion. Follow the steps in this
section to learn more about these three tasks. Detailed instructions are included in chapter 4.2 of the participant
guide.
1) In the Modify Area Feature window, confirm the Geography menu displays Public Use Microdata Areas.
Set the Action menu to Boundary Change.

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2) To delete a PUMA, select the PUMA from the Modify Area Feature window or in the Map View.
3) Select the Delete Area Feature button from the Modify Area Feature window. A secondary Modify Area
Feature window appears to confirm or cancel the deletion. Choose OK to delete the PUMA or Cancel to
cancel the deletion.

4) To modify a PUMA, select the PUMA from the Modify Area Feature window or in the Map View.
5) To modify a PUMA’s attributes, select the Change Attributes button from the Modify Area Feature
window. A secondary Modify Area Feature window appears to change attribution for the code or name
of the selected PUMA. Choose OK to complete the modification of attributes or Cancel to cancel the
modification.

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6) To modify a PUMA’s boundary, activate the Select Features by Geography button in the Modify Area
Feature window to open the Select by Geography secondary window. Select the appropriate geography
(Census Tracts or County) to use to modify the PUMA boundary. Note the population for the selected
PUMA is 178,841.

7) Use the mouse to select the geography, then select the Add Area button from the Modify Area Feature
window to add the geography to the selected PUMA. Note: Geography must be added to PUMAs, not
removed from PUMAs, so for this example, census tracts were added to PUMA 00100 instead of being
removed from PUMA 01400.

8) Once GUPS completes the boundary modification, the new boundary appears in the Map View and
the population for the modified PUMA updates in the Modify Area Feature window. Note the
population for the selected PUMA has changed from 178,841 to 186,695.
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9) Select the Save Project button from the Standard toolbar to save edits and to save the project.
10) Repeat the steps above as many times as necessary to modify or delete PUMAs.

Export PUMA Delineations
For interested data users providing delineation proposals to their SDC or for SDCs exporting whole state files
when they complete their work, select the Export Layer to Shapefile/TEF button on the PUMA toolbar.
Follow the prompts to complete the export. Interested data users must follow instructions given by the SDC
for providing their exported file(s). The export process is detailed in chapter 4.3 of the participant guide.

Delineate PUMAs from a Shapefile
SDCs may import shapefiles from other data users into their state’s PUMA project by using the Import Working
File button from the PUMA toolbar. Details on this topic are included in chapter 4.4 of the participant guide.

This button can be used to import an entire state of PUMA shapefiles, or it can import and append multiple
shapefiles to create whole state coverage. The PUMA shapefile must contain fields for the State FIPS code,
PUMA code, and PUMA name.
IMPORTANT:

U.S. Census Bureau

The Census Bureau recommends a review of the shapefiles prior to importing into the state’s
PUMA project. Adding a PUMA shapefile as a reference layer is detailed in chapter 4.4.1 of the
participant guide.

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1) From the Import Working File window, select Import a PUMA shapefile and then OK.

2) A PUMA Import confirmation window appears with the choice to append the shapefile to the existing
project or to start over. Choosing to start over (i.e., choosing No) will delete all previously saved
delineation work in the project.

3) Navigate to the folder location of the exported shapefile. If the PUMAs were delineated using GUPS, the
folder location is “/GUPSGIS/gupsdata/PUMA20/output”. Select the shapefile to import and then Open
to import the shapefile into the pumacurrent_XX layer.

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4) The Import Options window opens. Select the appropriate values for each field from the drop-down list
and select OK.

5) An Import Summary window opens after importing the file with information regarding the imported
records. This window summarizes the number of successfully imported records as well as generates an
error list. Choosing the Show Details button provides more information on the errant records. Choose
Yes or No to continue.

6) Continue to import shapefiles (and/or tabular equivalency files) or interactively create PUMAs as
needed to complete work on the state’s PUMA project.
7) Select the Save Project button from the Standard toolbar to save edits and to save the project.

Delineate PUMAs from a Tabular Equivalency File
SDCs may import comma-delimited, tabular equivalency files (TEFs) from other data users into their state’s
PUMA project by using the Import Working File button from the PUMA toolbar. Details on this topic are
included in chapter 4.5 of the participant guide.

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This button can be used to import a TEF that covers the entire state, or it can import and append multiple TEFs
to create whole state coverage. The TEFs must contain fields for the State FIPS code, County FIPS code, Census
Tract code, PUMA code, and PUMA name. Below is an example of a TEF opened in Notepad.

IMPORTANT:

SDCs are encouraged to review the proposed PUMA TEFs they receive prior to importing them
directly into their state’s PUMA project. This review will minimize import failures and prevent
unnecessary edits or corrections to the PUMA project.

1) From the Import Working File window, select Import a PUMA tabular equivalency file and then OK.

2) A PUMA Import confirmation window appears with the choice to append the TEF to the existing project
or to start over. Choosing to start over (i.e., choosing No) will delete all previously saved delineation
work in the project.

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3) Navigate to the folder location of the exported TEF. If the PUMAs were delineated using GUPS, the
folder location is “C:/GUPSGIS/gupsdata/PUMA20/output”. Select the TEF to import and then Open.

4) The Import Options window opens. Select the appropriate values for each field from the drop-down list
and select OK.

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5) An Import Summary window opens after importing the file with information regarding the imported
records. This window summarizes the number of successfully imported records as well as generates an
error list. Choose Yes or No to continue. Note: Choosing the Show Details button provides more
information on the errant records and changes the button name to Hide Details.

6) Select the Save Project button from the Standard toolbar to save edits and to save the project.
7) Continue to import TEFs (and/or shapefiles) or interactively create PUMAs as needed to complete work
on the state’s PUMA project.

Conduct Quality Checks and Criteria Review
Follow the guidance in this section to conduct quality checks and criteria review on the delineated PUMAs.
Details on these topics are included in chapter 5 of the participant guide.
The Census Bureau recommends all participants conduct basic quality checks to review their project and its
PUMAs for issues that integrated GUPS tools cannot identify. These checks are beneficial prior to executing the
PUMA Criteria Review tool. Some basic quality checks include:
• Confirm the name accurately reflects the delineated area and follows the naming guidelines.
• Confirm the name is relative to the geography included within the PUMA.
• For PUMAs covering more than one county/city, confirm the order of name is correct.
• Confirm the name is spelled correctly.
• Confirm the code follows the coding guidelines.
•

o Is the PUMA code maintained from previous vintage or new?
Confirm the justifications provide adequate explanation for the requested exception.
o PUMAs with justifications supplied during initial delineation will not appear as a criteria failure after
executing the PUMA Criteria Review tool; therefore it is very important to conduct a thorough quality
check of each PUMA justification prior to export.

With the basic quality checks complete, conduct criteria review by executing the PUMA Criteria Review tool.
This tool is programmed with the 2020 PUMA final criteria and guidelines. It identifies three categories of
criteria failures: Errors, Warnings, and Information only.

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PUMA Criteria Review tool failures include the following:
• Unassigned geographies (i.e., no PUMA assigned). These are labeled as “faces” in the review tool.
• PUMAs that fall above/below population threshold requirement.
• PUMAs with overlapping geographies (most common when importing files, not possible with interactive
•
•

delineation).
PUMAs with noncontiguous boundaries.
PUMAs that cross county boundaries with the census tracts having population of less than 10,000.

1) Select the PUMA Criteria Review button from the PUMA toolbar.

2) The tool runs and the PUMA Criteria Review window opens with the criteria failures listed. Note: The
Census Bureau staff recommend moving the window to the left or right of the Map View to dock it for
later use.

Note: Errors appear in red font and must be fixed prior to exporting the project for submission. Participants
cannot provide a justification for an error. Review and correct these first. Warnings appear in orange
font and must be fixed or justified before exporting the project. Information only items appear in blue
font and should be reviewed to confirm they are as expected.
3) To locate a PUMA with a criteria failure, select the PUMA in the PUMA Criteria Review window. The
Map View zooms to the selected PUMA. Conduct a review of the delineation to determine whether
to fix or justify the error.

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4) To modify the PUMA to resolve a failure, ensure the failure is selected in the PUMA Criteria Review
window, then select the Fix button. The Modify Area Feature window opens. To make the
modification, follow the guidance in the Modify or Delete a PUMA section from earlier in this guide
or in chapter 4.2 of the participant guide. Note: The failure will not disappear from the list once
resolved. Participants must save the project and choose the Refresh button or re-run the PUMA
Criteria Review tool.

5) To retain the PUMA and provide a justification for a Warning or Information Only failure, enter a
justification in the Justify field or use the drop-down menu to reveal and select a standardized
justification options.

6) Select the Save Justifications button to save the work. The PUMA Criteria Review window closes and
returns a confirmation window with information about the saved records.

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7) Save the project and re-run the PUMA Criteria Review tool to confirm all failures are resolved. If the
project is free from failures, a confirmation window opens for the participant to dismiss by choosing OK.

IMPORTANT:

A project must be free of failures prior to submission to the Census Bureau; however, partial
projects (like for interested data users that are working only part of a state) can include criteria
failures when sharing with the SDC. The SDC will correct all failures prior to finalizing the state’s
project. More details on this topic are found in chapter 5.1.1 of the participant guide.

Export and Submit a PUMA Project
GUPS includes two project export options for 2020 PUMA: Export for Census and Share with Another
Participant. This guide describes the Export for Census option used by SDCs to prepare their completed
submission for the Census Bureau. Both options are described in detail in the participant guide, chapters
4.3.3 for sharing with others and chapter 6 for exporting for Census.
Note: The Share with Another Participant option exports the entire project and is beneficial for review of
whole projects, not parts of the state’s project. Supervisors or co-workers in the same office can use this
option to review and approve whole project proposals prior to submission. Interested data users who
may be working on part of a state, export and share their delineation work by using Export Layer to
Shapefile/TEF.
1) Select the Export to Zip button on the PUMA toolbar.

2) Choose the Export for Census option and then OK. The export tool executes criteria checks and may
take time to complete.
3) If criteria failures exist, a warning message with instructions to correct the errors, then export the
project again. To correct the errors, re-run the PUMA Criteria Review tool and follow the guidance
outlined in the previous section.

4) If no quality or criteria errors are found, the GUPS User Contact Information window appears to enter
SDC contact person information. Once the form is complete, the export process continues for
approximately 2-5 minutes before generating a .zip file of the completed project.
5) The exported .zip file is placed in the /GUPSGIS/gupsdata/PUMA20/output folder. This is the file to
submit to the Census Bureau.
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The Census Bureau provides one option for submission of the proposed PUMAs for 2020, the Secure Web
Incoming Module (SWIM). Follow the instructions in chapter 7 of the participant guide for submitting the .zip file
created from the Export for Census option.

Delete a PUMA Project and Restart Delineation
GUPS provides an option to delete a PUMA project and begin delineation work again. This action may be
necessary to ensure a successful import of a shared PUMA project or to resolve GUPS issues that cannot be
resolved otherwise.
Follow the steps in appendix E of the participant guide to remove the existing working project from your
GUPSGIS folder. Please be aware that this action permanently removes all PUMA delineation work. If
questions arise about whether this is the right option for your situation, please contact the Census Bureau to
discuss the problems you may be encountering and seek input prior to executing the GUPS Data Settings
tool.

Contact Information
Contact the Census Bureau staff involved with the 2020 PUMA by email at .

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2020 Public Use Microdata Areas Program
(PUMA) Participant Guide Participant Guide
Instructions for Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS) Participants
September 2021

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... vi
A.

Overview ..........................................................................................................................vi

B.

Getting Help and Using this Guide.................................................................................. vii

Part 1

Getting Started.................................................................................................... 1

Chapter 1 Develop a Plan for Delineation ............................................................................ 2
Chapter 2 Download and Install GUPS ................................................................................. 4
Chapter 3 Open GUPS and Start a PUMA Project ............................................................... 11
3.1

GUPS Menus and Toolbars ............................................................................................ 19

3.1.1 PUMA Toolbar ........................................................................................................... 21
Part 2

Creating a PUMA Project ................................................................................... 30

Chapter 4 Delineate the PUMAs ........................................................................................ 31
4.1

Delineate from a Blank Layer......................................................................................... 31

4.1.1 Add Imagery or Open an Internet Map Service ........................................................ 36
4.2

Modify or Delete a PUMA .............................................................................................. 38

4.2.1 Modify a PUMA Boundary......................................................................................... 39
4.2.2 Modify a PUMA Code and/or Name ......................................................................... 43
4.2.3 Delete a PUMA .......................................................................................................... 44
4.3

Export PUMA Delineations ............................................................................................ 45

4.3.1 Export to a Shapefile ................................................................................................. 46
4.3.2 Export to a Tabular Equivalency File ......................................................................... 47
4.3.3 Export to Share Entire PUMA Project ....................................................................... 49
4.4

Delineate from a Shapefile ............................................................................................ 52

4.4.1 Add a PUMA Shapefile as a Layer for Reference ...................................................... 57
4.4.2 Import a State’s PUMA Project ................................................................................. 61
4.5

Delineate from a Tabular Equivalency File .................................................................... 63

Chapter 5 Conduct Quality Checks and Criteria Review ...................................................... 70
5.1

PUMA Criteria Review Tool ........................................................................................... 72

5.1.1 Partial State Project and the PUMA Criteria Review Tool ........................................ 77
Part 3

Submitting a PUMA Project ............................................................................... 78

Chapter 6 Export a PUMA Project ...................................................................................... 79
Chapter 7 Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM)............................................................... 82
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Appendix A

Summary of Additional Program Documents ................................................ A-1

A1

Final Criteria .................................................................................................................. A-1

A2

Coding Guidelines ......................................................................................................... A-2

A3

Naming Guidelines ........................................................................................................ A-3

Appendix B

Troubleshooting GUPS Installation ............................................................... B-1

Appendix C

Additional GUPS Functionality ...................................................................... C-1

C1

Menu Bar ...................................................................................................................... C-1

C2

Standard Toolbar .......................................................................................................... C-4

C3

Table of Contents and TOC Toolbar.............................................................................. C-7

C4

Status Bar ...................................................................................................................... C-9

Appendix D

Start a PUMA Project Using My Computer .................................................... D-1

Appendix E

Delete (Clean) a PUMA Project ..................................................................... E-1

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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Requirements for Using GUPS and SWIM......................................................................... 5
Table 2: Steps to Download and Install GUPS ................................................................................ 5
Table 3: Steps to Open GUPS and Start a PUMA Project Using Census Web ............................... 12
Table 4: GUPS Main Page Elements and Their Function/Description .......................................... 20
Table 5: PUMA Toolbar Buttons and Their Function/Description ................................................ 21
Table 6: Steps to Delineate PUMAs Using the Create a New Blank Layer Option ....................... 31
Table 7: Steps to Add Imagery or Open an Internet Map Service ................................................ 36
Table 8: Steps to Modify a PUMA Boundary ................................................................................ 39
Table 9: Steps to Export PUMAs to a Shapefile ............................................................................ 46
Table 10: Steps to Export PUMAs to a Tabular Equivalency File .................................................. 47
Table 11: Steps to Export the PUMA Project to Share with Another Participant ........................ 50
Table 12: Steps to Import a PUMA Shapefile ............................................................................... 53
Table 13: Steps to Add a PUMA Shapefile for Reference ............................................................. 58
Table 14: Steps to Import a State PUMA Project for Reference .................................................. 61
Table 15: Steps to Import a PUMA Tabular Equivalency File ....................................................... 64
Table 16: Steps to Perform Quality Checks of Names, Codes, and Justifications ........................ 70
Table 17: Steps to Use the PUMA Criteria Review Tool and to Fix or Justify Failures ................. 72
Table 18: Steps to Export the PUMAs for Submission .................................................................. 79
Table 19: Steps to Use SWIM ........................................................................................................ 83
Table 20: Steps to Troubleshoot GUPS Installation ..................................................................... B-2
Table 21: Menu Bar Tabs and Their Function/Description .......................................................... C-1
Table 22: Standard Toolbar Buttons and Their Function/Description ........................................ C-5
Table 23: Table of Contents Toolbar Buttons and Their Function/Description .......................... C-8
Table 24: Status Bar Elements and Their Function/Description .................................................. C-9
Table 25: Steps to Download and Unzip the 2021 Partnership Shapefiles .................................D-1
Table 26: Steps to Open GUPS and Start a PUMA Project Using My Computer .........................D-9
Table 27: Steps to Delete (Clean) a PUMA Project ...................................................................... E-1

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: PUMA Project Workflow .................................................................................................. 1
Figure 2: Map Management Window ........................................................................................... 11
Figure 3: GUPS Main Page Elements and Default Layout ............................................................. 20
Figure 4: PUMA Toolbar ................................................................................................................ 21
Figure 5: Example of a Selected PUMA in the Map View and Modify Area Feature Window ..... 39
Figure 6: Example of Modifying the Attributes of a PUMA .......................................................... 44
Figure 7: Example of Deleting a PUMA ......................................................................................... 45
Figure 8: Example of a PUMA Tabular Equivalency File in Notepad ............................................ 64
Figure 9: Example of the PUMA Criteria Review Tool with Errors for Unassigned Faces ............ 77
Figure 10: Default Map Management Window ........................................................................... B-1
Figure 11: QGIS without a Map Management Window .............................................................. B-1
Figure 12: Menu Bar .................................................................................................................... C-1
Figure 13: Standard Toolbar ........................................................................................................ C-4
Figure 14: Sub-Toolbar Markers .................................................................................................. C-4
Figure 15: Table of Contents Toolbar .......................................................................................... C-7
Figure 16: Table of Contents with Layer Checkmarks and Arrows .............................................. C-8
Figure 17: Status Bar .................................................................................................................... C-9

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INTRODUCTION
A.

Overview

Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) are non-overlapping, statistical geographic areas that
partition each state or equivalent entity into geographic areas containing no fewer than
100,000 people each. They cover the entirety of the United States, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and are a higher level of geography than census
tract, or even county in some instances. They provide data users with another level of
geography for data analysis.
PUMAs are defined for the tabulation and dissemination of decennial census and American
Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data. Additionally, the ACS and
Puerto Rico Community Survey use them to disseminate their respective period estimates.
PUMS data are valuable to state and local planning agencies/offices, as well as students, for use
in long-range planning and research projects. PUMAs and PUMS data allow the data community
to create custom tables and statistics not available through pre-tabulated (or summary) data
products. Without PUMAs and PUMS data, data users could not create those custom tables and
statistics.
The U.S. Census Bureau announced the 2020 Public Use Microdata Areas Program (2020 PUMA)
through an email to the State Data Centers (SDCs) from each state, the District of Columbia, and
Puerto Rico. In the announcement email, the Census Bureau invited SDCs to delineate PUMAs
using the specific standards and criteria, and specifically using the census population counts
and updated census tracts from the 2020 Census as critical inputs. Participation in the 2020
PUMA is voluntary. The Census Bureau provides SDCs with a 90-day review period to delineate,
review, and submit their PUMAs.
Participants can maintain the PUMA boundaries that do not need revision for historical
comparisons. Where modifications are needed, participants are encouraged to make revisions
based on geographical knowledge and projected geographical changes in the next decade. The
Census Bureau anticipates all SDCs will submit proposals for their 2020 PUMAs. If a state does
not make a submission, the Census Bureau will complete the work to the best of our ability.
The Census Bureau encourages the SDCs to involve other interested data users, such as those in
tribal, state, and local (e.g., county, incorporated place, and town/township) governments, as
well as regional planning agencies or organizations to ensure that the PUMAs meet the needs
of a variety of data users. Collaboration between SDCs and other interested data users is
especially important for areas with population exceeding 100,000. Though collaboration is
encouraged, the SDCs are the official participants for this program and must coordinate the
delineation work suggested or prepared from others. The Census Bureau only accepts a single
set of proposed PUMA delineations from each state’s respective SDC.

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The Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS), required for the preparation of the
state’s PUMA project, is a user-friendly, self-contained, customized GIS software application
provided to participants by the Census Bureau for use in completing many of their geographic
programs and operations. Each geographic program supported by GUPS includes a unique set
of tools built to run within the QGIS environment. For the 2020 PUMA, GUPS is programmed to
allow for the sharing of work performed by multiple participants to facilitate a collaborative
delineation effort and to prepare standardized output files of the delineated PUMAs for
submission to the Census Bureau. GUPS ensures the submission is valid and allows for easier
processing once received by the Census Bureau. While it does not require an internet
connection to function, an internet connection is necessary to use the recommended “Census
Web” option and the built-in imagery server.

B.

Getting Help and Using this Guide

The PUMA website 1 provides a useful overview of PUMAs and historical reference information
from previous PUMA programs. The 2020 PUMA website 2 contains the key materials to support
the 2020 program. To answer questions not covered in the materials or to clarify the criteria,
guidelines, and procedures, contact the Census Bureau by email at .
Note: If errors or unexpected results occur within a PUMA project, close GUPS to reset the software
prior to contacting the Census Bureau.

This guide provides specific instruction through “Step – Action and Result(s)” tables, where the
Action is usually a command or action to perform a task and the Result(s) of the action(s)
display in italics. Hyperlinks appear as underlined, light blue text. Readers can navigate the
guide’s chapters, tables, figures, and appendices by use of the Table of Contents and by use of
cross-referenced links shown in bold blue font. Part 1 covers getting started with planning for
delineation and software/project setup. Part 2 provides the details for creating a PUMA project.
Part 3 closes the guide by supplying the information for submitting a PUMA project to the
Census Bureau. Lastly, the appendices supply important, additional information.

The URL for the PUMA website is
.
2
The URL for the 2020 PUMA website is
.
1

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PART 1

GETTING STARTED

This part of the guide discusses the steps necessary to begin PUMA delineation. Figure 1
illustrates the PUMA project workflow. The first section of the diagram includes the steps for
getting started. The second section shows the steps for delineating PUMAs and the third
section depicts the steps for submitting a PUMA project. Each of the steps shown in the
workflow, except for the download and review of program documents, becomes a chapter
within this guide.

Figure 1: PUMA Project Workflow

Download the program documents from the 2020 PUMA website. At a minimum, the program
documents include this participant guide, the final criteria, the coding guidelines, and the
naming guidelines. A summary of these additional program materials is included in Appendix A.
The Census Bureau recommends a thorough review of these documents to lay the foundation
for the delineation process and provide an understanding of the program. Additional resource
materials, such as a summary guide and a frequently asked questions document are also
available online.
IMPORTANT:

U.S. Census Bureau

GUPS, the PUMA websites, and other materials for the 2020 PUMA were in the final
stages of development when this guide was created. While the images may differ, the
overall instruction, actions, and results remain consistent with what is anticipated in the
finalized versions. One notable difference is that the population figures and census
tracts used within the examples are from 2010 and not 2020.

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CHAPTER 1

DEVELOP A PLAN FOR DELINEATION

Developing a plan for delineation is an essential step to PUMA delineation. As part of
developing a plan, each SDC should consider how they will conduct the work, including
incorporating work performed by other interested data users (i.e., in-state data stakeholders)
to determine the best delineation method(s) for their state or specific situation. If others are
completing PUMA delineation work for their specific section of the state, the SDC must be
prepared to import the work received into their PUMA project or load it into their project for
reference and review. It is the responsibility of the SDC to determine what delineation manner
works best for their state/situation and to communicate with the others assisting with
delineation about how to complete the work.
IMPORTANT:

The Census Bureau recommends SDCs create a folder on their computer or network,
separate from the directory created by GUPS, to store the proposed PUMA delineation
work (e.g., shapefiles, tabular equivalency files, text files, maps, etc.) they receive from
others that are helping with delineation. Keeping them separate protects the
information received should GUPS malfunction.

Review the list below to prepare for delineation.
•

Communicate with other interested data users (regional organizations, council of governments,
large metro counties/cities, etc.) to identify who intend to assist with delineation work .

•

Download and review the PUMA documentation from the 2020 PUMA website to understand
the program and expectations for participation.

•

Download and install GUPS.

•

Share information regarding program materials, software, and trainings with other interested
data users.

•

Attend a PUMA training webinar. Current plans are for three sessions (two in October and one
in December).

•

Maintain contact with the non-SDC staff assisting with delineation work throughout the
program.

•

Establish contact with the Census Bureau to answer questions.

Understanding the plan for delineation will help readers navigate the content in this guide. For
example, interested data users that prepare delineations for part of a state, do not need to
review the instructions in Part 3, as those are only applicable to SDCs since they make the
official submission.
There are three different options for delineating PUMAs within GUPS. Participants can choose
to create them from a blank layer (i.e., Create a new blank PUMA layer), import them from a
from a shapefile (i.e., Import a PUMA shapefile) or census tract equivalency file (i.e., Import a
PUMA tabular equivalency file). GUPS offers additional flexibility by allowing the use of more
than one option for delineation which allows SDCs to assemble various sub-state level
delineations into the whole state project. These three options are detailed in Chapter 4.

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IMPORTANT:

Regardless of the delineation option, participants are required to use the data prepared
by the Census Bureau while completing the PUMA delineations. These files are the 2021
Partnership shapefiles that have been updated to include the 2020 Census population
numbers (POP20 attribute) within the state-based census tract (i.e., tracts2020) layer.
To confirm use of the correct version, these files will include “PVS_21_v1” in their file
name and have an updated date stamp from September 2021.

Review the next chapter for instructions on downloading and installing GUPS.

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CHAPTER 2

DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL GUPS

Participants with previous versions of GUPS installed for use with other Census Bureau
programs must install the new version of GUPS (v14.0.0-6) to delineate PUMAs. This chapter
includes the hardware and operating system requirements necessary to use GUPS, instructions
for downloading and installing the software, and the basics of opening GUPS and starting a new
PUMA project.
Many agencies/organizations require certain security privileges to download and install
external software. Work with your local Information Technology (IT) staff person to acquire
those privileges or ask they assist with GUPS installation. Please note that GUPS users with
different security privileges other than the IT staff person that installed the software may
encounter problems accessing the directories and plugins needed to operate GUPS. This usually
occurs when the software is not installed under the user’s profile. To correct this, have the IT
staff person reinstall GUPS under the user’s profile using the user’s credentials. If installation
problems remain, contact the Census Bureau by email at for
assistance.
IMPORTANT:

While the SDCs are the primary participant and tasked with making their state’s PUMA
submission, others that intend to help with delineation work (SDC staff or other
interested data users) must download, install, and use GUPS to share delineation work.

Refer to Table 1 for the requirements necessary to download and install GUPS, as well as the
supported internet browser versions to use the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM).

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Table 1: Requirements for Using GUPS and SWIM
Hardware
Disk Space Required to Run
GUPS:
4 GB (very important!)
Disk Space Needed to Store
Shapefiles:
Shapefile sizes vary. To view
the size of the shapefiles,
using the mouse select a file/
folder, right-click, and select
Properties in the drop-down
menu. The Files Properties
box opens and displays the
file/folder sizes. Select
multiple files/folders in the
list to view their properties
via the same method.
RAM:
4 GB minimum; 8 GB or more
recommended for optimal
performance.

Operating System
Windows®:
To run GUPS, Windows users need one of the
following operating systems:
• Windows 8®
• Windows 10®

Supported Browser
SWIM runs on the two most
recent versions of each of
these major internet
browsers:

Apple®:
Mac OS X users must secure a license for
Microsoft Windows and use a Windows
bridge. The suggested bridge software is Boot
Camp®, which comes pre-installed on all Mac
computers. Locate instructions for Boot Camp
at:

• Microsoft Internet
Explorer®
• Microsoft Edge®
• Google Chrome®
• Mozilla Firefox®
• Apple Safari®

IMPORTANT: Since Boot Camp requires a
restart of the computer to set up the bridge,
be sure to print the instructions from URL
above before beginning installation.

Note: The dialog boxes in GUPS may vary based on operating system. Screenshots in this guide were
created using Windows 10. As a result, the screenshots in this guide that feature GUPS actions
may differ slightly from what a participant using Windows 8 or Boot Camp.

Follow the steps outlined below in Table 2 to download and install GUPS.
Table 2: Steps to Download and Install GUPS
Step

Action and Result(s)

Step 1

Navigate to the 2020 PUMA website and scroll to the Geographic Update Partnership Software
(GUPS) section.

Step 2

Choose the Download GUPS link. Select Save As rather than Save to navigate to a local folder to
download and save the gups.zip file.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Navigate to the local folder where the downloaded gups.zip file resides and unzip the file to
extract the contents. When complete, it should resemble this example.

Step 3

Step 4

From the local folder where the gups.zip file extracted, use the mouse to double-click the
SETUP-.bat file to start installation. The anticipated version number is 14.0.0-6.
Regardless of the version number, there will be only one SETUP .bat file to choose.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The Welcome to QGIS screen appears that allows a participant to import their previous settings
from QGIS 2 or starting clean.

Step 5

Choose the option for a “clean start” and select Let’s get started to proceed. If a new version of
GUPS that uses QGIS 3 is already installed for use with other census programs, the previously
mentioned window may not appear.
When the installer opens, the Welcome to the QGIS 3.4.4 ‘Madeira’ Setup Wizard screen appears.

Step 6

Before proceeding with installation, close all other programs or applications. Once other programs
and applications are closed, choose the Next button.
The version needed for the 2020 PUMA is QGIS 3.4.4 Madeira. If the exact same version of QGIS
exists on the computer, an instruction to uninstall and reinstall may appear. Participants may
retain other versions of QGIS that may be in use for other programs, but the Census Bureau
suggests reinstalling if the same version exists on the computer to ensure installation of the latest
update.
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Step

Action and Result(s)
The License Agreement screen appears.

Step 7

Read the License Agreement and choose the I Agree button to continue.
The Choose Install Location screen opens. For performance and stability, the Census Bureau
recommends installation to the default folder (e.g., C:\QGIS344) even though the Browse button
allows for changing of the installation folder.

Step 8

Choose the Next button to continue.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The Choose Components screen opens. The ‘QGIS’ in the Select components to install section is
checked and grayed out since it is the default.

Step 9

Choose the Install button to continue.
To review a previous screen or reread the license agreement, choose the if questions arise on their use.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
After the selection of Select Features by Geography, a Select by Geography window appears.

Step 3

Both the Select by Geography window and the Modify Area Feature window are floating
windows that can be moved outside of the project window, across monitors, or docked within
the PUMA project.

Beneficial layers to use for visual guidance during delineation include the tracts2020 layer, the
county layer, and the puma2010 layer. All three layers are highlighted by red rectangle in the
image above. To make them visible, select the box next to the layer name in the Table of
Contents to add a checkmark. To hide their visibility, select the box again to remove the
checkmark. If the state includes American Indian reservations or maintains unique
relationships with places and minor civil divisions, those layers are available for reference as
well.
All three layers have scale dependent labels. The tracts2020 labels appear below the 1:50000
scale and label the tract number and its 2020 population. The county labels appear below the
1:1800000 scale and label the county name and 2020 population. The puma2010 labels
appear below 1:2000000 scale and label the 2010 PUMA code and name.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
From the Select by Geography window, choose the layer to use for delineation and use the
mouse to select the county(s) or census tracts to include in the PUMA. Use the Shift or Ctrl
keys on the keyboard to select more than one county or census tract. The selected geography
appears in a different shade to show its selection.

Step 4

Both layers can be used for delineation within the same project. This feature is beneficial for
counties that have multiple PUMAs. Selection of County activates the “puma_faces” layer in
the Table of Contents while selection of Census Tracts activates the “tracts2020” layer.
To deselect some of the selected features, use the Shift or Ctrl keys on the keyboard to
choose the selected census tract or county. To deselect all features from the PUMA selection
(i.e., county or census tract), use the Deselect Features from All Layers option from the Select
Feature(s) button in the toolbar of the Modify Area Feature window.

This same button appears on the Standard toolbar, shown below. Both options work for
deselecting.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
With the selection(s) made, choose the Add Entity button from toolbar of the Modify Area
Feature window.

A secondary window appears to enter the PUMA code (PUMACE) and PUMA name (NAME).
Step 5

Choose OK to continue.
The 2010 PUMA Names file on the PUMA website may be helpful to use for copying/pasting if
no changes are needed to the code or name. If the geography changed for 2020, use of the
code or name from 2010 may not be applicable.
Once added, the new PUMA appears within the main Modify Area Feature window and in the
Map View.

Step 6

Step 7

U.S. Census Bureau

Continue to use the New Entity action and Select Feature(s) tools to delineate additional
PUMAs and the Add Entity button to assign a code and name.

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4.1.1

Add Imagery or Open an Internet Map Service

For PUMAs delineated by census tract(s), it may be useful to add imagery and/or open an
internet map service to provide visual assistance with the delineation. The functionality
described in Table 7 may prove useful for all three delineation options.
IMPORTANT:

Participants cannot change the boundary of census tracts as part of PUMA, nor add
features to be used as PUMA boundaries. The purpose of the two tools described in this
sub-section is to provide a visual reference for the census tract boundaries.
Table 7: Steps to Add Imagery or Open an Internet Map Service

Step

Action and Result(s)
To add imagery, select the choices arrow adjacent to the Add Imagery button from the PUMA
toolbar to expose the three options for imagery to add to the project.

Step 1

Select the vintage of imagery to load into the project. Selecting the Add Imagery button instead
of the choices arrow will open the first option, Add Esri Imagery.
Once added, the Add Imagery button changes from a green plus sign to a red negative sign and
the imagery loads into the project as the last layer in the Table of Contents. This allows the
imagery to underlie the other layers.

Step 2

The Census Bureau recommends turning off the imagery or removing it from the project prior to
saving. This action allows GUPS to reopen the project successfully. To remove the imagery from
the project, choose the Add Imagery button again (i.e., the red negative sign). To turn the
imagery off from within the Table of Contents, select the checkmark next to the layer name.
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Step

Action and Result(s)
To open an internet map service, select the Internet Map Service button from the PUMA
toolbar. An Internet Map Service pop-up window appears that instructs the participant to select
a point on the map to enable the Internet Map Service.

Step 3

Select OK to proceed with selecting a point in the Map View.
Use the mouse to select a point in the Map View to open the map service. It is from this point
that the map service will include in its view when it opens.

Step 4

The image above is used to illustrate the general vicinity of the point selected by highlighting the
area with a red rectangle. The red rectangle is not part of the selection process.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Once a point is selected, the Internet Map Service window opens for the participant to choose
either Google Maps or Bing Maps.

Select OK to proceed or Cancel to return to Map View. Google Maps opens in an internet
browser window to include the point selected from the Map View.

Step 5

With these two tools described, proceed to the next sub-chapter for instructions to modify or
delete a PUMA.

4.2

Modify or Delete a PUMA

As PUMAs are delineated, participants may find the need to modify their boundary, code, or
name. For some, it may be easier to delete the PUMA and begin again. These three GUPS tasks
are described in this sub-chapter.
If a change is needed to the boundary, code, or name of a delineated PUMA, ensure the Action
field is set to Boundary Change and select a PUMA from the list of PUMAs that appear in the
main Modify Area Feature window. As shown in Figure 5, the selected PUMA appears as a
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darker color in the Map View and shows as selected in the main Modify Area Feature window
for a participant to confirm they have selected the correct PUMA to modify.

Figure 5: Example of a Selected PUMA in the Map View and Modify Area Feature Window

4.2.1

Modify a PUMA Boundary

Participants must use the Add Area button to add area to another delineated PUMA rather than
removing area from a delineated PUMA. In other words, a boundary, more specifically an area
(county or census tract), must have a PUMA to be modified into, not removed from. For
example, in Figure 5 a participant could not remove Geneva County from PUMA 02500 because
there is no other PUMA to assign to Geneva County. To modify the boundary of the PUMA,
follow the steps in Table 8.
Note: The Remove Area button appears as a grayed-out negative (-) sign to the right of the Add Area
button on the Modify Area Feature window toolbar, but does not activate for the 2020 PUMA.
Table 8: Steps to Modify a PUMA Boundary
Step

Action and Result(s)
Select the PUMA to modify from the list of PUMAs in the Modify Area Feature window or by
choosing the Select Target Area button from the Modify Area Features toolbar. The latter
permits the interactive selection of the PUMA from the Map View rather than from the list of
PUMAs that appear in the Modify Area Feature window.

Step 1

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Step

Action and Result(s)
After choosing the Select Target Area button, a crosshair appears for the mouse cursor. With the
mouse, select the PUMA to modify in the Map View. The selected PUMA highlights in the PUMA
list and in the Map View.

Step 2

Activate the Select Features by Geography window to open the Select by Geography window
and select either Census Tracts or County.

Step 3

In this example, since we want to modify the boundary of PUMA 00100 to include two census
tracts in northeast Marion County, choose Census Tracts.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Use the mouse to select the two census tracts currently assigned to PUMA 01400 in northeast
Marion County (as highlighted from the 2010 PUMA by a pink border). Once selected, choose
the Add Area button from the toolbar in the Modify Area Feature window to add the census
tracts to PUMA 00100.

Step 4

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The resulting modification produces a warning message for partial county coverage. Choose Yes
to continue or No to close the window and cancel the modification.

Step 5
In this example, the two census tracts have a population less than 10,000. Because these two
census tracts were in PUMA 00100 for 2010, the Census Bureau will allow the retention of this
split county PUMA if a justification is supplied during the criteria review. Otherwise, participants
must add additional census tracts to attain or surpass the 10,000-population requirement (new
requirement for 2020).
Rather than waiting to run the PUMA criteria review tool, a justification can be supplied as part
of the Change Attributes button functionality described in greater detail in the next section.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Once complete, the new boundary appears in the project and the population for the PUMA
updates (i.e., from 178,841 to 186,695).

Step 6

With the modification of a boundary presented, proceed to the next sub-section to learn about
modifying the PUMA code and/or name.

4.2.2

Modify a PUMA Code and/or Name

IMPORTANT:

Refer to the 2020 PUMA Coding Guidelines and 2020 PUMA Naming Guidelines
documents located on the 2020 PUMA website for details.

Follow steps 1 and 2 from Table 8 to select the PUMA to modify. To modify the code or name of
the PUMA, choose the Change Attributes button, as shown in Figure 6, from the toolbar in the
Modify Area Feature window. A secondary Modify Area Feature window appears to change
attribution for the code or name of the selected PUMA.

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Figure 6: Example of Modifying the Attributes of a PUMA

Edit the code in the PUMACE field and/or the name in the NAME field. Choose OK or Cancel to
close the secondary window and return to the previous menu. Save the project using the Save
Project button on the Standard toolbar or the Save option beneath the Project tab on the Menu
bar.
Note: A justification can be supplied in the JUSTIFY field within this window to explain issues with the
PUMA that may involve criteria, naming, size, etc. Supplying a justification at this stage will
prevent PUMAs that otherwise fail criteria from showing after running the PUMA Criteria
Review tool.

4.2.3

Delete a PUMA

Follow steps 1 and 2 from Table 8 to select the PUMA to delete. To delete the PUMA in its
entirety, choose the Delete Area Feature button, as shown in Figure 7, from the toolbar in the
Modify Area Feature window.

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Figure 7: Example of Deleting a PUMA

A Modify Area Feature confirmation window appears to confirm or cancel deletion of the
selected PUMA. To delete, choose OK or Cancel to close the confirmation window and return to
the previous menu. Save the project using the Save Project button on the Standard toolbar or
the Save option beneath the Project tab on the Menu bar.
Note: Participants do not delete a portion of a PUMA. If an area (census tract and/or county) has been
assigned to a PUMA incorrectly, it must be reassigned through the Boundary Change action as
described in sub-section 4.2.1, not deleted or removed from an existing PUMA.

4.3

Export PUMA Delineations

As participants complete their delineation work, they may need or want to export their work to
create a shapefile or a tabular equivalency file (TEF). For example, interested data users who
are assisting their SDCs with delineation may only be delineating a portion of the state and may
need to provide their work to their SDC for inclusion in the state’s PUMA project. They use the
export options described in this sub-chapter to generate their files to share with their SDC.
SDCs receiving files from interested data users must define for interested data user how they
wish to receive these exported files (e.g., email, secure FTP, or other manner).
Upon completion of all delineation work, and separate from their submission to the Census
Bureau, SDCs are encouraged to closely review their proposed delineations. To do so, SDCs may
generate a shapefile of the proposed PUMA geography with the PUMA codes and names or
create a text file (i.e., a TEF) of census tracts with the PUMA codes and names for their state.
Review the next sub-section for instructions on exporting the delineations to a shapefile. Skip to
sub-section 4.3.2 for instructions on exporting the delineations to a TEF.

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4.3.1

Export to a Shapefile

To export the delineations to a shapefile, follow the steps described in Table 9 below.
Table 9: Steps to Export PUMAs to a Shapefile
Step

Action and Result(s)
Select the Export Layer to Shapefile/TEF button from the PUMA toolbar.

Step 1

From the Export Layer to Shapefile/TEF window that appears, choose Current PUMA Shapefile.

Step 2

Select OK to proceed or Cancel to return to the Map View.
When the export completes, an Export Layer confirmation window appears that lists the location
of the exported file and a question to open the output folder.

Step 3

Select Yes to open the output folder or No to close the window.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The selection of Yes opens the GUPSGIS/gupsdata/PUMA20/output folder where the puma2020
shapefile is located.

Step 4

The file name is comprised of the program name (puma2020), the state FIPS code (01), the
month (05), date (03), hours (16, or 4pm), minutes (25), and seconds (44) in the form of a
military timestamp (e.g., puma2020_01_0503162544).
The shapefile (and all its components) of PUMAs contains PUMA codes and PUMA names can be
shared with SDCs as they prepare the whole state’s delineations. SDCs may also choose to export
the whole state once all delineation work is complete.

Skip to sub-chapter 4.4 for instructions to import this shapefile into a PUMA project or to subsection 4.4.1 to add this shapefile as a reference to an existing PUMA project. Review the next
sub-section for instructions on exporting the delineations to a tabular equivalency file.

4.3.2

Export to a Tabular Equivalency File

To export the delineations to a tabular equivalency text file, follow the steps in Table 10.
Table 10: Steps to Export PUMAs to a Tabular Equivalency File
Step

Action and Result(s)
Select the Export Layer to Shapefile/TEF button from the PUMA toolbar.

Step 1

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Step

Action and Result(s)
From the Export Layer to Shapefile/TEF window that appears, choose Current PUMA comma
delimited TEF.

Step 2

Select OK to proceed or Cancel to return to the Map View.
GUPS only imports comma-delimited files. The final export option shown above is used by the
Census Bureau during their processing of submissions and is not used by participants that intend
to use GUPS to import a TEF.
When the export completes, an Export Layer confirmation window appears that lists the location
of the exported file and a question to open the output folder.

Step 3

Select Yes to open the output folder or No to close the window.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The selection of Yes opens the GUPSGIS/gupsdata/PUMA20/output folder where the puma2020
tabular equivalency file (.txt) is located.

Step 4

The file name is comprised of the (puma2020), the state FIPS code (01), the month (05), date
(17), hours (15, or 3pm), minutes (03), and seconds (10) in the form of a military timestamp (e.g.,
puma2020_01_0517150310).
To view the file properly, open in Notepad or WordPad.

Step 5

This text file of census tracts, PUMA codes, and PUMA names can be shared with SDCs as they
prepare the whole state’s delineations. Additionally, SDCs may also choose to export the whole
state once all delineation work is complete.

Skip sub-chapter 4.5 to import this TEF into a PUMA project. Review the next sub-section for
instructions on exporting the entire PUMA project to share with another participant.

4.3.3

Export to Share Entire PUMA Project

For participants that wish to share their PUMA project with others, perhaps their supervisor or
other colleagues in their office or with the SDC, they may use Export to Zip – Share with
Another Participant. When used, the entire project is organized and zipped for importing into
another GUPS session. Exporting the entire GUPS project permits another person to review the
delineations prior to finalizing them for submission. Often staff in the same office use this tool
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as a mechanism to conduct their own review of the work performed by another person.
Depending on the size of the state and number of PUMAs, this can be a lengthy, timeconsuming export task.
Refer to Table 11 for instructions on completing this task.
Note: This exported file cannot be used in conjunction with an existing PUMA project for reference. It
becomes the PUMA project when imported.
Table 11: Steps to Export the PUMA Project to Share with Another Participant
Step

Action and Result(s)
With the PUMA project open, select the Export to Zip button on the PUMA toolbar.

Step 1

The Select Output Type window appears. Select the Share with Another Participant option.

Step 2

Choose the OK button to continue. Be patient. The export process takes time to prepare the file.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Once complete, an Export to Zip window appears with the folder location and file name
information.

To open the folder, choose Yes or choose No to return to the PUMA project.

Step 3

The “puma20_ST_DataDirectory.zip” file is the resulting exported .zip file, where the ST is the
two-digit state FIPS code. This example is for Alabama, so “01” is the number that appears in the
file name.
Do not change the file name as GUPS can only import .zip files with this name, exported using
GUPS. Share this .zip file of the PUMA project with others through email or other method of data
sharing.

For instructions to import this .zip file into a blank PUMA project, skip to sub-section 4.4.2.
Otherwise, proceed to the next sub-chapter to learn more about delineating PUMAs using a
shapefiles.
Note: The next two sub-chapter (e.g. 4.4 and 4.5) provide the instructions for importing the shapefile
and tabular equivalency file generated from GUPS; however, the functionality of the Import tool
can be used to import shapefiles or text files generated outside of GUPS if they meet the
anticipated requirements. The Census Bureau does not provide instructions for creating files
outside of GUPS, other than to provide the instruction of vintage of data (e.g., 2021 Partnership
shapefiles version 1) to use and what attributes are required for successful import of the files
into GUPS. The attributes for each file type are listed in the respective sub-chapter below.

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4.4

Delineate from a Shapefile

This sub-chapter is written from the perspective of a SDC who has received delineation
assistance from other interested data users and needs to import their work; however, other
participants may use this option for PUMA delineation. One example of this situation may be a
Council of Governments that is working with a major city to delineate PUMAs within their city.
The city may wish to provide an exported shapefile to the Council of Governments. The
procedures described in the table below remain the same regardless of who is using the tool.
Participants that exported their delineation work from GUPS as a shapefile using the Export
Layer to Shapefile/TEF button or those that created their PUMAs in their own GIS may provide
their shapefile to the SDC for consideration and inclusion in the state’s PUMA project. SDCs use
the Import Working File button from the PUMA toolbar to import the work from others into
their PUMA project.
SDCs are encouraged to conduct a review the PUMA shapefiles they receive prior to importing
them directly into their state’s PUMA project. This likely will minimize import failures and
prevent unnecessary edits or corrections to the PUMA project. For instructions on adding the
shapefiles as a reference, skip to sub-section 4.4.1. Once shapefiles are reviewed and deemed
acceptable, review the information in Table 12.
IMPORTANT:

U.S. Census Bureau

Participants that wish to use their own GIS must use the 2021 Partnership shapefiles
that have been updated to include the 2020 Census population numbers (POP20
attribute) within the state-based census tract layer (i.e., tracts2020). To confirm use of
the correct version, these files will include “PVS_21_v1” in their file name and have an
updated date stamp from September 2021. The shapefile of PUMAs must include fields
for the two-digit state FIPS code, the five-digit PUMA code, and a PUMA name
(maximum of 85-characters). Except for the PUMA name field, all other fields must not
omit leading or trailing zeros from their coding.

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Table 12: Steps to Import a PUMA Shapefile
Step

Step 1

Action and Result(s)
With the state’s PUMA project open in GUPS, select the Import Working File button from the
PUMA toolbar.

The Import Working File window opens. Choose Import a PUMA shapefile from the drop-down
menu of options.

Step 2

Select OK to continue or Cancel to close the window.
The PUMA Import confirmation window appears. Choose Yes to append the shapefile to the
existing PUMA project or No to replace the existing project.
Step 3

Choosing No will delete all previously saved delineation work in the existing project.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
With the selection of Yes, a window opens for the selection of the shapefile. This example uses
the shapefile created in Table 9.

Step 4
Depending how the shapefile was created, the file can be in a variety of locally managed
directories/folders. The output folder shown in this location is the default location for files
exported from GUPS using the Export Layer to Shapefile/TEF button.
With the selection of No, a warning window appears seeking confirmation for the replacement of
the existing delineations.

Select OK to continue and navigate to the file location as shown above or Cancel to return to the
Map View.
There is no restoration of any work in the existing PUMA project once OK is selected.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Once the file is chosen, an Import Option window appears.

Step 5

This window is used to select the fields in the shapefile that correspond to the three required
fields in the PUMA project to achieve a successful import. The minimum overlap field defaults to
91%. Do not change this percentage.
After the selection of the fields, choose the OK button to proceed or Cancel to close the window
and begin again.

Step 6

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Step

Action and Result(s)
If an error(s) occurs with the import process, an Import Summary window appears with
information about the problematic records.

To see more details about the error(s), select the Show Details button to expand the window.

To show less details, select the Hide Details button. Select the Yes button to generate a .csv file
of the error(s) or select the No button to close the window without generating the file. This file is
useful to discover more about the error(s) since they are not imported into the project.

The errant PUMAs do not import into GUPS. If multiple errors occurred a participant might wish
to correct the shapefile and reimport instead of making the updates using GUPS.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Additionally, if an overlap occurs for a face, the Overlap Review window appears to allow the
participant to interactively assign the correct PUMA.

Step 7

To work interactively in GUPS to add the PUMAs that were not imported from the shapefile,
select the Modify Area Feature button from the PUMA toolbar and follow the steps described in
sub-chapter 4.2

Step 8

Save the project using the Save Project button on the Standard toolbar or the Save option
beneath the Project tab on the Menu bar.

If the delineation work for the state is complete, proceed to Chapter 5 for guidance on
performing quality checks and criteria review. If delineation work remains, continue delineating
interactively in GUPS by using the Modify Area Feature button, or by importing additional
shapefiles or PUMA tabular equivalency files, as described in the sub-chapter 4.5.

4.4.1

Add a PUMA Shapefile as a Layer for Reference

As mentioned in the beginning of this sub-chapter, prior to importing a PUMA shapefile into the
project and appending or overwriting existing delineation work, SDCs (or other participants that
are sharing files) may wish to add a PUMA shapefile as a layer for reference. This action may
apply to participants that generated PUMAs using their own GIS or to those that may want to
review multiple delineation proposals for an area. Refer to the steps described in Table 13 for
instructions on adding a PUMA shapefile as a reference layer.
Note: Use these same steps outlined below to add other reference layers (e.g., a shapefile of the
state’s regional planning district/council of government boundaries, a locally generated
shapefile of roads, a locally generated shapefile of PUMAs using the 2010 census tracts, etc.)
that may be helpful during delineation.

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Table 13: Steps to Add a PUMA Shapefile for Reference
Step

Action and Result(s)
With the state’s PUMA project open in GUPS, select Layer  Add Layer  Add Vector Layer
from the Menu bar.

Step 1

A Data Source Manager | Vector window appears.

Step 2

Navigate to the folder where the PUMA shapefile is located to add as a reference in the Source
field and select Add.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The shapefile is added to the PUMA project and displays in the Map View.

Step 3

The layer’s placement in the Table of Contents will affect how it overlays with the other layers in
the project. In this example, the added layer is the first/top layer, so it overlays all the other
layers present in the project.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Participants can modify the properties of the layer by selecting the layer in the Table of Contents
and using the right mouse button to open Properties for the layer.

This opens the Layer Properties window. Within this window modifications can be made to
various default properties set for the added layer.

Participants may also “drag and drop” the layer into a different location within the Table of
Contents to change the placement of the layer within the project. These visibility tips and others
are described in further detail within sub-appendix C3.

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Return to Table 12 for instructions on importing a shapefile into the PUMA project.

4.4.2

Import a State’s PUMA Project

As outlined in sub-section 4.3.3, participants can import an entire PUMA project exported from
GUPS as a means of reviewing or performing their own quality checks on the delineation work.
This functionality may assist supervisors in reviewing work performed by their staff, or it may
be used by SDCs to import a completed project to serve as the state’s submission.
The Census Bureau recommends participants clean their project or PUMA program from GUPS
if any work has been completed for the state. This ensures a successful import. Review
Appendix E for instructions on using the Clean button from the Standard toolbar.
Follow the steps in Table 14 for instructions on importing a state’s PUMA project.
Table 14: Steps to Import a State PUMA Project for Reference
Step

Action and Result(s)
Open in GUPS, choose the Import Project ZIP file button from the Map Management window.

Step 1

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Navigate to the folder from step 3 in Table 11 and select the .zip file with “DataDirectory” as part
of its file name.

Step 2

Select Open to proceed or Cancel to return to the Map View.
Other files may exist within the output folder, but this tool only imports the .zip file exported
from GUPS using the Export to Zip – Share with Another Participant tool, with the specific file
name.
Once imported, the Table of Contents is populated with the layers from the exported .zip file and
the Map View is symbolized accordingly.

Step 3

The project will open to the exact scale and position the Map View was in during export. The
participant can proceed with reviewing the delineations and making modifications as needed
using the Modify Area Feature tool described earlier in sub-chapter 4.2.
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Step

Action and Result(s)
As a reminder, GUPS only imports .zip files that are exported from its software using Export to Zip
– Share with Another Participant. If a participant changes the default file name of the exported
file or attempts to import other shapefiles, the following error message appears.

Additionally, a participant cannot import a shared .zip file into a project that is open. If so, the
following error message appears.

GUPS bundles the entire project during the export process, so the imported .zip file becomes the
state’s PUMA project. It’s not the same as adding a shapefile for reference.

Proceed to the next sub-chapter for information on the final option for delineation, delineating
PUMAs from a tabular equivalency file.

4.5

Delineate from a Tabular Equivalency File

This sub-chapter is written from the perspective of a SDC who has received delineation
assistance from other interested data users and needs to import their work; however, other
participants may use this option for PUMA delineation. One example of this situation may be a
Council of Governments that is working with a major city to delineate PUMAs. The city may
wish to provide an exported text file to the Council of Governments. The procedures described
in the table below remain the same regardless of who is using the tool.
Participants that exported their delineation work from GUPS as a TEF using the Export Layer to
Shapefile/TEF button or that prepared a comma-delimited spreadsheet/list of the 2020 census
tracts with the PUMA codes and names may provide their text file to the SDC for consideration
and inclusion in the state’s PUMA project. SDCs use the Import Working File button from the
PUMA toolbar to import the work from others into their PUMA project.
SDCs are encouraged to review the text files they receive of proposed PUMAs prior to
importing them directly into their state’s PUMA project. This will minimize import failures and
prevent unnecessary edits or corrections to the PUMA project. A review can be conducted in
Notepad, WordPad, or other spreadsheet software.

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IMPORTANT:

Participants that wish to use their own file of census tracts must ensure use of the 2020
census tract information, not census tracts from previous decades. The text file must be
comma-delimited and must include fields for the two-digit state FIPS code, three -digit
county FIPS code, six-digit 2020 census tract code (without decimal for suffix), five-digit
PUMA code, and a PUMA name field (maximum of 85-characters). Except for the PUMA
name field, all other fields must not omit leading or trailing zeros from their coding.
Formatting the fields as “Text” maintains leading and trailing zeros that may appear in
the data.

See Figure 8 for an example of the TEF text file, exported from GUPS. In this figure, the Alabama
state FIPS code is 01. Fayette County is 057. One of the census tracts assigned to PUMA 01400
is 020200. The POP20 field is not a requirement for importing, but is exported from GUPS when
using the Export Layer to Shapefile/TEF button.

Figure 8: Example of a PUMA Tabular Equivalency File in Notepad

Follow the instructions in Table 15 for steps to import this file into GUPS.
Table 15: Steps to Import a PUMA Tabular Equivalency File
Step

Step 1

U.S. Census Bureau

Action and Result(s)
With the state’s PUMA project open in GUPS, select the Import Working File button from the
PUMA toolbar.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The Import Working File window opens. Choose Import a PUMA tabular equivalency file from
the drop-down menu of options.

Step 2

Select OK to continue or Cancel to close the window.
The PUMA Import confirmation window appears. Choose Yes to append the TEF to the existing
PUMA project or No to replace the existing project with the contents of the TEF.
Step 3

Choosing No will delete all previously saved delineation work in the existing project.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
With the selection of Yes, a window opens for the selection of the TEF. This example uses the TEF
created in Table 10.

Step 4

Depending how the TEF was created, the file can be in a variety of locally managed
directories/folders. The output folder shown in this location is the default location for files
exported from GUPS using the Export Layer to Shapefile/TEF button.
With the selection of No, a warning window appears seeking confirmation for the replacement of
the existing delineations. There is no restoration of any work in the project once OK is selected.

Select OK to continue and navigate to the file location as shown above or Cancel to return to the
Map View.
There is no restoration of any work in the existing PUMA project once OK is selected.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Once the file is chosen, an Import Option window appears.

Step 5

This window is used to select the fields in the file that correspond to the five required fields in
the PUMA project to achieve a successful import.
After the selection of the fields, choose the OK button to proceed or Cancel to close the window
and begin again.

Step 6

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Step

Action and Result(s)
If an error(s) occurs with the import process, an Import Summary window appears with
information about the problematic records.

To see more details about the error(s), select the Show Details button to expand the window.

To show less details, select the Hide Details button. Select the Yes button to generate a .csv file
of the error(s) or select the No button to close the window without generating the file. This file is
useful to discover more about the error(s) since they are not imported into the project.

If multiple errors occurred, a participant might wish to correct the TEF and reimport instead of
making the corrections using GUPS.
Step 7

U.S. Census Bureau

To correct the errors interactively in GUPS, to make changes to the correctly imported PUMAs,
or to continue working on unassigned geographies select the Modify Area Feature button from
the PUMA toolbar and follow the steps described in sub-chapter 4.2.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Changes that are made to the imported PUMAs launch the Modify Area Feature window to
ensure the change is what the participant wants to make.

Step 8

Save the project using the Save Project button on the Standard toolbar or the Save option
beneath the Project tab on the Menu bar.

If the delineation work for the state is complete, proceed to Chapter 5 for guidance on
performing quality checks and criteria review. If delineation work remains, continue delineating
interactively in GUPS by using the Modify Area Feature button, or by importing additional TEFs
or shapefiles, as described in the previous sub-chapter.

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CHAPTER 5

CONDUCT QUALITY CHECKS AND CRITERIA REVIEW

PUMAs must adhere to the finalized criteria and observe the established naming rules. GUPS is
programmed to check for finalized criteria and guidelines to ensure the successful delineation
of PUMAs. During delineation if a PUMA does not meet the established criteria, GUPS triggers
warning messages. For some warnings, GUPS will prevent a participant from continuing, but for
other, less critical warnings, participants can proceed, and the problematic PUMAs will
reappear for resolution during criteria review, detailed in sub-chapter 5.1.
Though GUPS has an integrated criteria review, the Census Bureau recommends all participants
conduct basic quality checks for issues that GUPS tools cannot identify. These checks are
beneficial prior to executing the PUMA Criteria Review tool. Some basic quality checks include:
•

Confirm the name accurately reflects the delineated area and follows the naming guidelines.

•

Confirm the name is relative to the geography included within the PUMA.

•

For PUMAs covering more than one county/city, confirm the order of name is correct.

•

Confirm the name is spelled correctly.

•

Confirm the code follows the coding guidelines.
o Is the PUMA code maintained from previous vintage or new?

•

Confirm the justifications provide adequate explanation for the requested exception.
o PUMAs with justifications supplied during initial delineation will not appear as a criteria
failure after executing the PUMA Criteria Review tool; therefore, it is very important to
conduct a thorough quality check of each PUMA justification prior to export.

These quality checks are especially important if a participant is providing their suggested
delineations to the SDC for inclusion in the state’s PUMA project. The SDC may not be aware of
coding and naming preferences of the participant that created the project. To review the codes,
names, and justifications, follow the steps outlined in Table 16.
Table 16: Steps to Perform Quality Checks of Names, Codes, and Justifications
Step

Action and Result(s)
Select the Modify Area Feature tool from the PUMA toolbar.

Step 1

From the Modify Area Feature window, confirm the Action field is set to Boundary Change.

Step 2

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Select a PUMA from the list of PUMAs or in the Map View.

Step 3

Select the Change Attribute button.

Step 4

A secondary Modify Area Feature window appears.

Step 5

Review content that appears in the PUMACE, NAME and JUSTIFY fields. Select OK to dismiss the
window. The justification shown above is a participant entry, not a pre-selected option.
Step 6

Repeat steps 3-5 to review each PUMA in the Modify Area Feature window.

With the quality checks complete, review sub-chapter 5.1 for details on the PUMA Criteria
Review tool. For interested data users that completed delineation for only part of a state, skip
to sub-section 5.1.1 for instructions on using the tool on a partially completed state project.
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5.1

PUMA Criteria Review Tool

The PUMA Criteria Review tool reviews the PUMA project to confirm the finalized criteria are
not violated. This tool will generate a list of failures for review. SDCs must execute the PUMA
Criteria Review tool on their state’s PUMA project prior to exporting for submission to the
Census Bureau. Follow the steps in Table 17 for details on executing the tool and the options
for resolving the failures that appear for a completed PUMA project.
Criteria failures include, but are not limited to, the following:
•

Unassigned geographies (i.e., no PUMA assigned). These are labeled as “faces” in the review
tool.

•

PUMAs that fall above/below population threshold requirement.

•

PUMAs with overlapping geographies (most common when importing files, not possible with
interactive delineation).

•

PUMAs with noncontiguous boundaries.

•

PUMAs that cross county boundaries with the census tracts having population of less than
10,000.

Note: Running the tool on a project that is incomplete will introduce criterial failures for each
geography without an assigned PUMA; therefore, the steps in the table are written for a SDC
with a completed PUMA project. Skip to sub-section 5.1.1 for instructions on using the tool on a
partial state project.
Table 17: Steps to Use the PUMA Criteria Review Tool and to Fix or Justify Failures
Step

Step 1

Action and Result(s)
With the state’s PUMA project open in GUPS, select the PUMA Criteria Review button from the
PUMA toolbar.

The PUMA Criteria Review window appears with the criteria failures listed.

Step 2

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The PUMA Criteria Review tool identifies three categories of criteria failures. Errors appear in
red font in the PUMA Criteria Review window and must be fixed prior to exporting the project
for submission. Participants cannot provide a justification for an error. Warnings appear in
orange font and must be fixed or justified before exporting the project. Information only items
appear in blue font and should be reviewed to confirm they are as expected.
Please note that the colors in the Criteria Fail column do not correspond to the colors used for
the “pumacurrent” layer in the Map View.
To locate a PUMA with a criteria failure, select the PUMA in the PUMA Criteria Review window.
The Map View zooms to the selected PUMA. Conduct a review of the delineation to determine
whether to fix or justify the PUMA.

Step 3

The Census Bureau recommends reviewing the Errors first, prior to tackling the Warnings and
Information Only failures.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
To modify the delineation to resolve the Error or Warning, select the Fix button. The Modify
Area Feature window opens with the PUMA selected and the Map View zoomed to the PUMA.

Step 4

.
Though the problematic PUMA is selected, it may be necessary to select and modify a different
PUMA to resolve the failure. For instance, if the problematic PUMA is too large, the participant
needs to reassign county(s) or census tract(s) to a different PUMA. They would select an
adjacent PUMA to modify, rather than the problematic PUMA and add counties or census tracts
to the newly selected PUMA. Areas can only be added to PUMAs, not removed from PUMAs.
As explained in sub-section 4.2.1, use the Select Target Area button and choose the PUMA to
modify in the Map View or from the list in the Modify Area Feature tool. This ensures the
correct PUMA to modify is selected.

Step 5

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Activate the Select Features by Geography window to open the Select by Geography window
and select either Census Tracts or County.

Step 6

Use the mouse to select geography (census tract or county) assigned to another adjacent PUMA
and then choose the Add Area button from the toolbar in the Modify Area Feature window to
add the selected geography to the selected PUMA.

Step 7

The PUMA will not disappear from the list of failures once it is corrected. Participants must save
the project and choose the Refresh button at the bottom right of the PUMA Criteria Review
window or re-run the PUMA Criteria Review tool.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
To retain the delineation to resolve a Warning failure instead of fixing the PUMA, provide a
justification in the PUMA Criteria Review window. First, review the delineation to determine if
the PUMA is delineated as expected and confirm the warning is valid before keying or selecting a
prefilled option from the Justify section of the PUMA Criteria Review window. The Justify field
has a 150-character limit, so the field contains suitable space to provide a thorough justification.
The Criteria Fail column provides the issue as well as the PUMAs involved. This information is
helpful for researching a solution to the failures.

Step 8

Select the Save Justifications button to save the work. After the save completes, the PUMA
Criteria Review window closes, and a confirmation window appears with the information about
the records saved.

In this example, the state includes an American Indian reservation. Participants must confirm
that the counties and census tracts containing the reservation is assigned properly, taking into
consideration noncontiguous pieces of reservation and/or off-reservation trust land that may
prevent the AIR from being included in one PUMA. PUMAs that split reservations appear as
Warnings for review in the PUMA Criteria Review tool.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Save the project and re-run the PUMA Criteria Review tool to confirm all failures are resolved. If
the project is free from failures, a confirmation window appears.

Step 9

Dismiss the window by choosing OK.

For SDCs with a complete state project, proceed to Part 3 for instructions to export and submit
the state’s PUMA project

5.1.1

Partial State Project and the PUMA Criteria Review Tool

Participants are not required to run the Criteria Review tool to export a PUMA project to share
with another participant or to export a shapefile or a TEF of a partial state project. If executed
prior to assigning PUMAs to the entire state, every unassigned census tract will be listed as a
criteria failure. The tool sees each unassigned census tract (i.e., “face”) as an error. For a partial
delineation of PUMAs in the state, ignore these “Face x has no PUMA” failures. Participants
may proceed with reviewing failures that appear for the delineated PUMAs to confirm their
work is valid before providing the files to the SDC or another participant. See Figure 9 for an
example of how these errors appear in the PUMA Criteria Review window.

Figure 9: Example of the PUMA Criteria Review Tool with Errors for Unassigned Faces

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PART 3

SUBMITTING A PUMA PROJECT

This part of the guide explains the steps to export a PUMA for submission to the Census Bureau
as well as the steps for using the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM) to make the state’s
submission to the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau only accepts PUMA delineations from
each state’s respective SDC, so only SDCs need to review an apply the instructions within this
part of the guide.

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CHAPTER 6

EXPORT A PUMA PROJECT

Once PUMA delineation and criteria review conclude, SDCs use the Export to Zip button from
the PUMA toolbar to export their PUMA .zip file for submission to the Census Bureau. This
chapter lists the steps to export the project.
The Export to Zip button on the PUMA toolbar reruns the PUMA Criteria Review tool quality
checks prior to exporting the delineation work. To export the PUMAs, follow the steps in
Table 18. GUPS packages all the files required by the Census Bureau into the zip file and saves it
in the location created on the participant’s computer during the GUPS installation process.
Table 18: Steps to Export the PUMAs for Submission
Step

Action and Result(s)
Select the Export to Zip button from the PUMA toolbar.

Step 1

The Select Output Type window opens with two options for export: Export for Census and Share
with Another Participant.

Step 2

Select Export for Census and OK to proceed with export or Cancel to return to the Map View.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Before the tool proceeds, it reminds the participant to perform quality checks. If the PUMA
Criteria Review has run, it provides the date and reminds that quality control checks should be
performed prior to export.

If the PUMA Criteria Review has not run, it provides instruction to do so before exporting. The
participant must cancel from this window and refer to sub-chapter 5.1 for instructions on
executing the tool and fixing the errors.

The export process checks the validity of the PUMAs as it prepares the .zip file. If the project
contains criteria failures, a warning message appears with instructions to fix all errors and try the
export process again.
Step 3

Return to sub-chapter 5.1 for instructions on executing the tool and fixing the errors.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
If the export was successful, the PUMA Contact Information window appears for the participant
to complete. Complete the form and select OK.

Step 4

Once the export completes, the Export to Zip window appears confirming a successful export
and providing the location of the exported .zip file.

Step 5

Selecting Yes, opens a window that shows the location (path) of the exported file.

Step 6

With the export process complete, proceed to the next chapter for instructions on submitting
the file using the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM).

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CHAPTER 7

SECURE WEB INCOMING MODULE (SWIM)

All submissions for the 2020 PUMA must be sent to the Census Bureau using the SWIM. SDCs
use the instructions in this chapter to establish or access a SWIM account and submit their
state’s PUMA project.
Some SDCs may have staff with established SWIM accounts from other Census geography
programs. If so, that person may submit the state’s PUMA submission using their existing
account. For SDCs without staff with an established account, contact the Census Bureau by
email at to request a registration token.
To check for the existence of a SWIM account or to reset a password on an established account,
choose “Forgot your password?” on the main SWIM page and enter the email address in
question to check for the existence of an account. If SWIM locates an account, it asks the
established security question for the account, for which the answer is not case-sensitive, and
sends an email to reset the forgotten password. If SWIM does not locate an account associated
with the email address, it returns the following message, “No account registered for this email
address. The email address associated with the account is case sensitive. Try again with the
proper case or go to Account Registration to register for a SWIM account.” Choosing the
Account Registration link opens another window to establish a SWIM account; however, the
SDC staff person must have a registration token to proceed.
Note: The components of both the email address and the password of SWIM accounts are casesensitive. Make note of the format used when establishing the SWIM account (e.g.,
jane@anytown.org or Jane@anytown.org or JANE@ANYTOWN.ORG). The Census Bureau
recommends use of lowercase letters and safe retention of this information for future
reference.

SWIM allows four attempts to login before it temporarily locks the account for 15 minutes.
After the lock expires, try to login again or reset the password using the aforementioned
“Forgot your password?” link on the login page. Once reset and logged into SWIM, account
holders may modify their password and security answer by selecting “Change Security” link
along the top, right side of the window.
If login issues persist, confirm the vintage of internet browser version. SWIM runs on the two
most recent versions of each of the major internet browsers, Microsoft Internet Explorer®,
Microsoft Edge®, Google Chrome®, Mozilla Firefox®, and Apple Safari®. If the browser version is
older, upgrade the version. If problems still occur with SWIM, contact the Census Bureau
because it may be necessary to create a new SWIM account.
SWIM file requirements include submission of .zip file format. The .zip file may not include
another .zip file as a component and it must not be larger than 250 megabytes. Do not create
separate zip files for supporting documentation, the shapefile suite of files, or any other
relevant case information. Include all those materials in one .zip file. Follow the steps below for
instructions on using SWIM to submit the PUMA .zip file.
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Table 19: Steps to Use SWIM
Step

Action and Result(s)
Open a new browser window and enter the SWIM URL to open the
SWIM Login screen.

Step 1

Step 2

For persons with an existing SWIM account, enter the email address and password associated
with the account and choose the Login button. Skip to Step 6.
For persons without an existing SWIM account, have the 12-digit registration token provided by
the Census Bureau ready for account registration. Select the Register Account button to open
the “Account Registration” screen. All fields within this screen are required. Select the Submit
button to continue.

Step 3

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The password must be at least 8-characters in length and have at least one uppercase character,
one lowercase character, one number, and one special character. Valid special characters are
limited to the #, !, $, *, &, ?, and ~.
The comma is not a valid special character for use in the password. The commas shown in the list
of valid special characters are for spacing purposes only.
A Success! pop-up window appears confirming successful account registration.

Step 4

Step 5

Choose Login to return to the SWIM Login screen to enter the newly established account login
and password information.
With a valid login and password, the Welcome screen opens. To submit the SDC’s PUMA
submission .zip file, choose the Start New Upload button.

Step 6

If the account has uploaded other files for different geography programs administered by the
Census Bureau, a list of files previously uploaded by the SWIM user displays on the page.
The What Census program are you reporting data for? screen opens. Choose the Public Use
Microdata Areas Program (2020 PUMA) radio button and then the Next button.

Step 7

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The Select a State screen opens. Choose your state from the drop-down menu and then the Next
button.

Step 8

The Select a .zip file to upload screen opens. Disregard the language regarding grouping all
related data into one .zip file. The PUMA GUPS handles this grouping of files/data. Choose the
+Add File button.

Step 9

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The Open screen appears. Navigate to the directory location of the exported PUMA .zip file
(e.g., /GUPSGIS/gupsdata/PUMA20/output) and select the file and then the Open button.

Step 10

Upon completion, the Status field shows Success, and the name of the .zip file appears in the
File(s) field. Add additional, pertinent information to the Comments section if applicable. Choose
the Next button to proceed with the upload.

Step 11

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The Thank You screen appears and indicates a successful transfer of the file. GUs can expect to
receive an email once processing of the file begins and throughout the process as questions
arise. Choose either Upload Form or Log Out option from the Thank You screen message.

Step 12

Congratulations on the completion of PUMA delineation using GUPS and the submission of
those delineations using SWIM. The Census Bureau will review all submissions to ensure they
meet the established criteria and will contact SDCs if there are questions. Other than this
communication, there are no plans for formal feedback. Finalized PUMAs and their associated
PUMS data will be available online for use beginning the summer of 2022.

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF ADDITIONAL PROGRAM DOCUMENTS

This appendix summarizes the final criteria, the naming guidelines, and coding guidelines.
Note: A summary guide and FAQs document are also available on the 2020 PUMA website. The Census
Bureau encourages participants review those materials for high-level summarization of the
program and specific answers to questions that may arise.

A1

Final Criteria

Below is a summarization of the final criteria and guidelines for 2020 PUMA. Refer to the 2020
PUMA Final Criteria document on the 2020 PUMA website for more details.
•

Minimum Required Population and Maximum Suggested Population
o Require minimum population threshold of 100,000 persons with the ability to maintain this
population throughout the decade.
o Should not contain more than 200,000 persons, unless defining the PUMA for an area where
significant population decline is anticipated.

•

Relationships with Other Geographic Areas
o Must not cross state boundaries.
o Should comprise an area that is either entirely inside or entirely outside a core based
statistical area (CBSA) where possible.
o Should use 2020 place definitions, 2010 urban/rural definitions, and local knowledge to
inform 2020 PUMA delineations.
o Should avoid splitting Census Bureau urban areas.
o Should avoid splitting governmental minor civil divisions (MCDs).
o Avoid splitting American Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands (AIRs/ORTLs),
particularly if the population is included within all parts of the split AIR/ORTL. Since
AIRs/ORTLs may cross state boundaries, this guideline applies only to the portion of an
AIR/ORTL within a state. In all such instances, consider the total population and makeup of
the affected areas in any decisions regarding the adjustment of PUMAs for AIRs/ORTLs.
 If the AIR/ORTL has a population of <100,000, it should be contained within one PUMA.
 If the AIR/ORTL has a population of <200,000, it should be contained within no more
than two PUMAs.

•

Geographic Entities Used to Define
o Must use counties (and equivalent entities), and/or census tracts to construct.
o A single county may be a PUMA if it meets the 100,000 minimum population threshold.
o Two or more contiguous counties may be combined to form a PUMA that meets the
100,000 minimum population threshold.
o Divide counties with more than 200,000 population using census tracts. Consider
aggregation of census tracts that approximate the extent of other geographic entities (e.g.,
MCDs, incorporated places, census designated places, and/or urban areas).

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o

•

•

A2

Census tract-based PUMAs may cross county boundaries provided each PUMA-county part
meets a minimum population threshold of 10,000. This is an increase from the 2,400minimum requirement from 2010. This change is intended to further ensure the
confidentiality of data in a PUMA-county part, align with the 2020 Census urban area plans,
and eliminate unique geographic areas with low population.

Contiguity and Noncontiguity Guidelines
o To the greatest extent possible, each PUMA should encompass a single, geographically
contiguous area.
o May be noncontiguous if the county, counties, or census tracts used to form the PUMA are
noncontiguous.
o Use of noncontiguous building blocks is acceptable where it facilitates more
demographically homogenous areas; however, this is not intended to create highly
fragmented PUMAs.
o All noncontiguous PUMAs are subject to Census Bureau final review and approval.

Place of work (POW) and Migration (MIG) PUMAs
o Delineated by statisticians, not as part of the 2020 PUMA, using Place of work data and
in/out migration data after the 2020 PUMA concludes.
o Standard PUMAs used to create POWPUMAs and MIGPUMAs; therefore, carefully consider
standard PUMA relationships with other geographic areas when forming the standard
PUMAs.
o Can consist of a single PUMA or combination of PUMAs (county-based or census tractbased), but must aggregate to whole counties. Carefully consider how this will affect the
eventual aggregation of PUMAs that are not delineated using whole counties.

Coding Guidelines

Below is a summarization of the coding guidelines. Refer to the 2020 PUMA Coding Guidelines
document on the 2020 PUMA website for more details.
•

Must be a unique, five-digit numeric code that ranges from 00100 to 99995.

•

Preserve the 2010 PUMA code for 2020 if the geographic extent of the proposed PUMA remains
unchanged from 2010, except when it is necessary to establish an orderly, logical coding scheme
within the state, as described in the next guideline.

•

Should be assigned sequentially within a state, beginning with 00100, 00200, 00300, and so
forth in an orderly, logical manner. They should not be randomly assigned.
o To establish this orderly, logical manner, assign codes using a geographic sequence that
begins in the northwest corner of the state. Proceed with coding from west to east, then
east to west in a serpentine fashion until each PUMA is coded. This sequence of coding
promotes easy identification by visual inspection and review since codes that are close in
numeric sequence should be close geographically.

•

Assign “00” as the fourth and fifth digits of the PUMA code for each PUMA that consists of
either an entire county or group of whole counties.

•

Assign the same first three digits of the PUMA code and increment up from “01” for the fourth
and fifth digits, for each PUMA that splits a county or group of counties. PUMAs that are
delineated using census tracts instead of whole counties, should be coded in this manner.

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A3

Naming Guidelines

Below is a summarization of the naming convention rules and guidelines presented in the 2020
PUMA Naming Guidelines located on the 2020 PUMA website. Refer to that document for
additional information on the structural components of a PUMA name and for details on the
toponymy of PUMA names and particular associations to the communities and feature that the
name represents.
•

Must not exceed 85 characters.

•

Must be unique within the state.

•

Must not include the state name or abbreviation, except where there is no clear cultural focus
or topographic name that can be applied to the PUMA.

•

May include hyphens to connect the names of multiple geographic areas.

•

Must use the Roman alphabet as normally used for writing the English language.

•

Use hyphens to join names for PUMAs with multiple geographies areas and list them in the
order of population size or regional importance, listing the most populous or most important
first.

•

May use diacritical marks (i.e., accents, rings, tildes, and umlauts).

•

May include a limited number of abbreviations. Use of all other abbreviations are discouraged
and must be approved by the Census Bureau.

•

Deference given to names submitted by SDCs; however, the Census Bureau may edit the
proposed names to adhere to programmatic and technical needs.

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APPENDIX B

TROUBLESHOOTING GUPS INSTALLATION

If the default Map Management window, as shown in Figure 10, does not display after opening
QGIS (Figure 11), then this indicates a GUPS installation issue.

Figure 10: Default Map Management Window

Figure 11: QGIS without a Map Management Window
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Follow the instructions below in Table 20 to correct the installation issue(s). If problems persist
after applying the instructions in the table below, contact the Census Bureau by email at
for assistance.
Table 20: Steps to Troubleshoot GUPS Installation
Step

Action and Result(s)
With QGIS open, identify the GUPS version by accessing the GUPS  About GUPS menu located
on the Menu bar. The Menu bar buttons are described in sub-appendix C1.
If the version is lower than version 14.0.0-6, navigate to the 2020 PUMA website and download
the proper version. Those steps are discussed in Table 2 and should be applied before
proceeding with the details in this table.

Step 1

If no Map Management window is visible, from the Menu bar choose the Plugins menu and then
Manage and Install Plugins.
Step 2

The Plugins window opens. Select the Installed option on the left side of the window. Confirm a
checkmark exists next to the gupsapp item. If a checkmark is absent, use the mouse to select the
box to the left of the gupsapp name. Choose the Close button to close the window.

Step 3

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Close QGIS and restart the software by selecting the QGIS3 icon from the Start Menu.

Step 4

If the Map Management window still does not appear, add the plugin manually following the
remaining steps in this table.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
From the Menu bar, select the SettingsSelect User ProfilesOpen Active Profile Folder.

The default profile window opens.
Step 5

Select and open the python folder. The window shows the contents of the python folder.

Step 6

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Select and open the plugins folder. The window shows the contents of the plugins folder.

Step 7

Keep this window open. Do not close this window. This window provides the location where
upcoming changes are needed.
Close QGIS by selecting Project Exit QGIS or by selecting the “X” in the upper right corner.

Step 8

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Step

Action and Result(s)
With the plugins window still open, open another File Explorer window on the computer.
Navigate to the location where the gups.zip file was saved and unzipped. Note, this occurred as
part of action described in Table 2.

Step 9

Select and open the items folder.

Step 10

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Copy the gupsapp.zip file from the items folder into the plugins folder in Step 7.

Step 11

Delete the gupsapp folder so that only the gupsapp.zip file exists in the plugins folder.

Step 12

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Unzip the gupsapp.zip file to the plugins folder. WinZip provides the Unzip to here option that
handles the proper placement of unzipped file contents.

Step 13

Unzipping the file elsewhere is incorrect and will cause problems with correcting the installation
problem.
Once the unzip action completes, confirm the new gupsapp folder was created and delete the
gupsapp.zip file from the plugins folder.

Step 14

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Step

Action and Result(s)
For GUPS to work, the plugins folder must contain only the gupsapp folder, as shown in Step 7.
Open QGIS by selecting the QGIS3 icon from the Start Menu.

If the Map Management window appears, the installation issue is resolved. Begin delineating
PUMAs for your state.
Step 15

Step 16

If the Map Management window does not appear, please contact the Census Bureau by email at
for assistance.

With the installation issue corrected, return to Chapter 3 for instructions on opening GUPS and
starting a PUMA project.

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APPENDIX C

ADDITIONAL GUPS FUNCTIONALITY

The Census Bureau strongly recommends the use of the QGIS documentation to supplement
information provided within this appendix. Refer to the QGIS documentation guide on-screen
or download an Adobe Acrobat PDF of the QGIS 3.4 documentation from the following link,
.
Note: The QGIS 3.4 documentation is in the “Archived” section at the bottom of the previously listed
link.

The content included in the subsequent appendices may vary from what appears with each
QGIS/GUPS installation, but we anticipate most installations will include the menus and toolbar
elements described within this appendix. If new/different menus, sub-menus, toolbar buttons,
etc. appear that are not included in this appendix, check the QGIS documentation.

C1

Menu Bar

The Menu bar includes top-level, drop-down menus and allows navigation through GUPS using
a standard hierarchical menu. Most relate to QGIS functionality and not GUPS functionality. The
Menu bar, shown in Figure 12, offers basic features to manage the Map View. Almost all the
functions available from the Menu bar are also available in the various toolbars.

Figure 12: Menu Bar

Table 21 provides the function(s)/description(s) of the menus and sub-menus of the Menu bar.
Table 21: Menu Bar Tabs and Their Function/Description
Menu

Menu Option(s)

Project

U.S. Census Bureau

Function/Description
Provides access and exit
points of the project file.

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Menu

Menu Option(s)

Edit

Function/Description
Provides most of the native
tools to edit layer attributes
or geometry.
For the Undo and Redo submenus to activate, the layer
must be active/selected in
the Table of Contents.

View

Provides tools to interact
with Map View.

Layer

Provides large set of tools to
create new data sources,
add them to a project, or
save modifications to them.
The Add Layer sub-menu is
useful to add PUMA
delineations as reference
layer prior to importing into
a project.

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Menu

Menu Option(s)

Function/Description

Settings

Provides tools and options to
manage profiles, styles,
projections, and interfaces
of the project. Because we
ask for no changes to the
Map content (so no changes
to the projection), this menu
is not needed for the 2020
PUMA.

Vector

Provides common vectorbased GIS tasks from
different providers. Core
plugins affect subcomponent
availability. Not needed for
the 2020 PUMA.

Raster

Provides common rasterbased GIS tasks from
different providers. Core
plugins affect subcomponent
availability. Not needed for
the 2020 PUMA.

Web

Provides access to tools that
are QGIS based. Not needed
for the 2020 PUMA.

Processing

Provides tools that pertain to
algorithms, models, etc. Not
needed for the 2020 PUMA.

Help

Provides common help
functions for understanding
QGIS.

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Menu

Menu Option(s)

GUPS

Function/Description
Provides information about
GUPS version (About GUPS)
and shortcuts to other
common GUPS related
toolbars.
The About GUPS sub-menu
provides the GUPS version
number. Callers to technical
support need to provide the
version number with their
question.

Proceed to the next sub-appendix for details on the Standard toolbar.

C2

Standard Toolbar

The Standard toolbar, shown in Figure 13, provides navigation tools and other tools needed to
interact with the Map View and layers’ attribute tables.

Figure 13: Standard Toolbar

The Standard toolbar includes three sub-toolbars, identified by the grouping bars or markers on
the toolbar. See Figure 14 for a visual of the markers.

Figure 14: Sub-Toolbar Markers

The first sub-toolbar, the Project toolbar, contains buttons for saving projects, changing map
projects, and managing map projects. The second sub-toolbar, the Map Navigation toolbar,
contains buttons to navigate the Map View. The last sub-toolbar, the Attributes toolbar,
contains buttons to identify, select, and measure elements within the map. To rearrange the
toolbars, press the left mouse button and hold the sub-toolbar marker then drag it to the
desired location within the project. Release the mouse button to set the toolbar in the new
location.
Table 22 provides a visual of each button, the corresponding name, and each button’s
function/description.

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Table 22: Standard Toolbar Buttons and Their Function/Description
Button

U.S. Census Bureau

Name

Function/Description

Save

Saves the current GUPS project including changes
to the layer properties, last viewed map extent,
and layers added.

Style Manager

Opens window to edit the markers, lines, fills,
colors, etc. within a project. Not recommended
for use in the 2020 PUMA.

Map Management

Opens window to choose GUPS program, import a
zip file, or open a recent project. Likely will not
use once the PUMA project is initially created.

GUPS Data Settings

Opens window to change the GUPS working
directory should problems occur when loading
data. Also allows for deletion of a program or a
project. Contact the Census Bureau prior to use of
this button because deletion of program or
project is permanent. For more instructions
specific to cleaning a PUMA project refer to
Appendix E.

Import Custom Shapefile

Permits user to import their own shapefiles for
reference into a project.

Pan Map

Re-centers Map View based on location selected
in the Map View without changing the scale.

Pan Map to Selection

Re-centers Map View based on selected
feature(s) without changing the scale.

Zoom In

Increases the map scale after selecting the Map
View and displays Map View at the larger scale.

Zoom Out

Decreases the map scale after selecting the Map
View and displays Map View at the smaller scale.

Zoom Full

Displays Map View at the full extent of the
project.

Zoom to Selection

Zooms to the scale of the feature selected in the
Map View or in the attribute table.

Zoom to Layer

Zooms to the extent of layer selected in the Table
of Contents.

Zoom Last

Returns to the previous zoom extent.

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Button

Name

Function/Description

Zoom Next

Moves forward to the next zoom extent.

New Bookmark

Creates a spatial bookmark for the given area to
ease navigation. Allows for the naming and saving
of the geographic location for future reference.

Show Bookmarks

Views and manages spatial bookmarks. Use the
mouse to double-click bookmark name in the
Spatial Bookmark window to zoom to the
bookmark.

Refresh

Refreshes Map View at the current extent.

Identify Features

Identifies features in the Map View.

Select Features by area or
single click

Reveals four selection methods: single click,
polygon, freehand, and radius. PUMA
participants’ likely use tools within the PUMA
toolbar to select features.

Select Features by Value

Reveals four selection tactics: by value, by
expression, all features, and invert selection.
PUMA participants’ likely use tools within the
PUMA toolbar to select features.

Deselect Features from
All Layers

Deselects selected features from all layers in a
single action.
Useful to deselect census tracts or counties and
begin again during delineation.

Toolbox

Reveals a Processing Toolbox window with
numerous QGIS processing tasks. Not used in the
2020 PUMA.

Measure

Reveals three measure options to measure the
distance along a line, for an area, or for an angle
on the map.

Proceed to the next sub-appendix for details on the Table of Contents and its toolbar.
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C3

Table of Contents and TOC Toolbar

Though the Census Bureau believes the default organization of layers and symbology serves
PUMA participants in the most efficient manner, participants may use the Table of Contents
and Table of Contents toolbar to manage the Map View. See Figure 15 for a visual of the Table
of Contents toolbar.
Using the Table of Contents toolbar, participants can add and remove layers or groups, manage
map themes, filter the legend by map content or by expression, expand or collapse all sections
of the Table of Contents list at once and may remove layers/groups. Participants may
manipulate layers and symbology in GUPS using basic selection/deselection techniques in the
Table of Contents, like with other GIS software. Manipulation of layers within the Table of
Contents may assist with viewing information more appropriately in the Map View. Changes
made in the Table of Contents reflect immediately in the Map View.

Figure 15: Table of Contents Toolbar

Table 23 provides a visual of each button, the corresponding name, and each button’s
function/description.

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Table 23: Table of Contents Toolbar Buttons and Their Function/Description
Button

Name

Function/Description

Open Layer Styling Panel

Toggles layer styling panel on/off.

Add Group

Organizes layers in the Table of Contents into groups.

Manage Map Themes

Offers modification of views based on layers in the
Table of Contents.

Filter Legend by Map Content

Removes layers not currently in the Map View extent.

Filter Legend by Expression

Removes features from the selected layer tree style
that have no features satisfying a
condition/expression.

Expand All

Expands the Table of Contents menus to display all
layers under each group’s menu.

Collapse All

Collapses the Table of Contents menus to only show
groups (not the layers beneath).

Remove Layer/Group

Removes a layer or group from the Table of Contents.

To manage visibility of individual groups or layers, check the checkbox next to a layer to make
the layer visible (e.g., turn the layer on) in the Map View. Uncheck the checkbox (e.g., turn the
layer off) next to a layer to make the layer invisible in the Map View. This may prove beneficial
if the Map View is cluttered with too many data layers.
To expand the menu for a layer or grouped layer, select the symbol and the sub-menu opens.
Select the symbol to collapse the sub-menu. See Figure 16 for an example of the checkmark
and arrow symbology.

Figure 16: Table of Contents with Layer Checkmarks and Arrows

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The order in which the layers appear in the Table of Contents determines the order that the
layers display in the Map View. The layers at the top of the Table of Contents display on top of
the layers that appear below them. While PUMA GUPS is programmed to display data layers in
an order that works for most participants, adding imagery or other data layers may require a
reordering of layers for the map elements to appear properly within GUPS. To manage the
order of layers, use the mouse and follow these steps:
1. Select the layer name in the Table of Contents.
2. Hold down the mouse button and drag the layer to the desired position in the Table of Contents.
3. Release the mouse button to place the layer in its new position. The Map View will reflect the
new layer order in the Table of Contents.
IMPORTANT:

Map labels appear at varying scales dependent on the map layer. For instance, census
tract labels appear at the 1:20,000 scale, while minor civil division and incorporated
place labels appear at 1:250,000 scale.

Proceed to the next sub-appendix for details on the Status bar.

C4

Status Bar

The Status bar, shown in Figure 17, provides details on the coordinates, scale, magnification,
rotation, and projection. These tools allow users to adjust the display. Also included are an icon
to review the software logs and a tool for rendering. Neither of which are used very often
during delineation.

Figure 17: Status Bar

Table 24 shows the elements within the Status bar and describes their function(s).
Table 24: Status Bar Elements and Their Function/Description
Element

Function/Description
This locator bar, a quick search widget, helps find and run
any feature or option in QGIS.

Coordinate

Shows the current position in map coordinates as the
mouse moves across the Map View. The default unit
shown is decimal degrees. As a reminder, do not change
the projection of the project.
Toggles between the coordinate position of the mouse
cursor or the Map View extents as the map is panned and
zoomed.
Locks the scale to use the magnifier to zoom in and out at
the locked scale.

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Element

Function/Description

Magnifier

Allows user to zoom without changing the scale in the
Map View, making it easier to tweak label positions and
symbols. Magnification is as percentage. If 100%, then
magnification is not applied to the view.

Rotation

Defines the clockwise rotation for Map View in degrees.

Render

Checkbox to handle the rendering of layers to the Map
View.
Shows the current coordinate reference system used in
the Map View.
Shows the logs for the GUPS session.

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APPENDIX D

START A PUMA PROJECT USING MY COMPUTER

While not the preferred option, participants with unstable internet connectivity or restrictions
placed on their local network may download the shapefiles to their local machine/network
rather than using the Census Web option. To use files from a local computer, the first steps
involve downloading and unzipping the proper partnership shapefiles. Follow the steps outlined
in Table 25 for instructions on acquiring and staging the shapefiles needed for the 2020 PUMA.
Table 25: Steps to Download and Unzip the 2021 Partnership Shapefiles
Step

Action and Result(s)
Create a directory on the local computer or network named PUMA_Shape or something similar.
Within the PUMA_Shape directory, create a sub-directory for the state using its two-digit state
FIPS code. This example uses 01 for the state of Alabama.

Step 1

The Census Bureau does not recommend including “GUPS” in the folder’s name to clearly
separate locally downloaded shapefiles from GUPS related information.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Navigate to the 2020 PUMA website, scroll down to select Download Partnership Shapefiles.
The main Partnership Shapefiles website opens in a separate window.

Step 2

Ensure the use of the 2021 Partnership Shapefiles for the SDRP and PUMA Delineation vintage.
Within this section of the page, use the Select a State drop-down menu to select the state to
download.

Step 3

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The state’s partnership shapefile batch download window appears with all the counties within the
selected state shown.

Step 4

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Participants may choose a maximum of five counties from the list and select Submit. Select Reset
to clear the selection and begin again.

Step 5

If the participant intends to use reference layers to assist with delineation and is unable to use
the Census Web option for loading reference layers, then this is the mechanism for downloading
the individual county shapefiles used for that process. Create a sub-directory for the county in
PUMA_Shape (e.g., 01001) before proceeding. This is not illustrated in this table/example.
To download all the necessary state level files for the 2020 PUMA, a participant only needs to
select one county from the list. This action downloads the data for that selected county as well as
all the state level files. If the participant does not need the county level data, they can choose a
single, small county to download to shorten the download time and reduce the .zip file size.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The selected county and state files are bundled into one .zip file for saving locally. The file is
pvs_batch_from_xx.zip, where xx is the two-digit state FIPS code. Use the local system’s process
for saving the .zip file to the previously created PUMA_Shape directory.

Step 6

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Unzip the pvs_batch_from_xx.zip file to the same PUMA_Shape directory.

Step 7

The unzip process creates another sub-directory (pvs_batch_from_01) which contains the
additional .zip files for the state and county(s) selected in Step 6.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Unzip the state-level zip file (i.e., partnership_shapefiles_21v1_01.zip) to the state sub-directory
(01) created in Step 1. For WinZip, choose the third option, “Yes, unzip the files to a folder I
choose” to select this state sub-directory.

Step 8

To unzip the county-level .zip file, create a county level sub-directory in Step 1 and follow the
same process. If the county level shapefiles are not needed, unzip only the .zip file that ends with
the state FIPS code.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Once unzipped, the state sub-directory contains the shapefile components. Confirm the subdirectory contains shapefiles that begin with “PVS_21_v1”. This is the version required by 2020
PUMA. This image does not depict all the shapefiles in the folder.

Step 9

Participants using the “My Computer” option rather than “Census Web” must save the 2021
Partnership shapefiles as described in this table. GUPS requires one sub-directory with the state
shapefiles (named by the state FIPS code) to operate properly.

With the shapefiles downloaded and unzipped, proceed to Table 26 for instructions to open
GUPS and start a project using the My Computer option.

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Table 26: Steps to Open GUPS and Start a PUMA Project Using My Computer
Step

Action and Result(s)
To open GUPS, select the QGIS3 icon from the Start Menu.

Step 1
The QGIS splash screen appears. Depending on the age of the computer and amount of RAM, the
application may require a few moments to load and open.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
The Map Management window appears.

Step 2

Use the drop-down menu next to the Program field to select Public Use Microdata Areas.
If the Map Management window does not appear, choose the Map Management button from
the Standard toolbar (shown below highlighted by a red rectangle). If it still does not appear,
refer to Appendix B for troubleshooting tips.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Choose the state from the list beneath the State field.

Step 3

With the state selected, choose the Open button.

Step 4

All counties appear in the window below the state name and are selected for opening.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
From the Map Management window, choose My Computer from the Select Data Folder,
Directory or Location menu.

Step 5

Navigate to the folder where the unzipped shapefiles are located as shown in Step 1 of Table 25
(e.g., PUMA_Shape) to select it. Choose Select.

Step 6

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Step

Action and Result(s)
After the data loads into GUPS, the Table of Contents populates and symbolizes according to
preset styles. The Map View displays the counties for the selected state. The Menu Bar and
Toolbars appear along the top and the Status Bar appears at the bottom of the screen. The
Import Working File window awaits selection for how to begin PUMA delineation. Refer to subchapter 3.1 for high-level information on the main page elements and the default layout.

Step 7

The QGIS 3.4.4 Madeira and PUMA display at the very top left of the application window, along
with the two-digit FIPS code of the state. This information helps a participant confirm use of the
newer QGIS version and selection of the correct state and program.
Basic data layers are loaded into the Table of Contents as shown below before choosing how to
begin delineation. They are shown below.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Participants choose how to begin their delineation work from one of three options in the Import
Working File window: Create a new blank PUMA layer, Import a PUMA tabular equivalency file,
or Import a PUMA shapefile. Use of each option is detailed in Chapter 4.

Step 8
Choose an option and the OK button to proceed.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
After the delineation option is chosen, the Table of Contents updates to include additional data
layers for delineation. In this case, the “pumacurrent_01” data layer is added since the Create a
new blank PUMA layer option was selected.

The symbolization of the “pumacurrent” layer is vital to understanding the acceptable
delineations in the Map View. PUMA delineations that fall below the minimum threshold appear
in gold/tan while those that fall above the threshold are symbolized with red. Use of color brings
a visual aid to the delineation process.
To save a project, use the Save Project button on the Standard toolbar. Otherwise, delineation
work will be lost.

Step 9

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The Current edits confirmation dialog box appears. Choose the Yes button to save or the No
button to cancel without saving the project.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Participants may also use the Save option beneath the Project tab on the Menu bar to save the
project.

To reopen a saved project, expand the menu beneath the Open Recent button in the Map
Management window. The drop-down list provides a list of current projects created using GUPS.

Step 10

Return to sub-chapter 3.1 to complete the introduction of the GUPS menus and toolbars before
proceeding with PUMA delineation as detailed in Chapter 4.

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APPENDIX E

DELETE (CLEAN) A PUMA PROJECT

To ensure a successful import of a shared PUMA project or to completely delete a problematic
project, participants use the Clean button from the Standard toolbar to erase an existing PUMA
project and the sub-folders associated with the data in the project. Follow the steps in Table 27
for instructions on this process.
Table 27: Steps to Delete (Clean) a PUMA Project
Step

Action and Result(s)
With GUPS launched, but no PUMA project open, select the Clean button from the Standard
toolbar.

A GUPS Data Settings window appears.

Step 1

A participant uses this same button/window to change the GUPS working directory (e.g., GUPS
Home) location. This graphic uses the H:/GUPSGIS.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
Select Clean by Project from Options section of the GUPS Data Settings window.

Step 2

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A list of projects saved on in the GUPS data directory appear. Select the project to delete from
the list that appears and choose OK to proceed or Cancel to return to QGIS.

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Step

Action and Result(s)
A Clean GUPS data warning window appears that informs the participant of the permanent
nature of this action. Select OK to proceed with the deletion or Cancel to return to the GUPS
Data Settings window.

Step 3

An opened PUMA project will appear with a red shading from the list of program/project to
delete.

If the opened project is selected for deletion, QGIS will offer the Clean GUPS data warning
message and then close automatically and delete the project if OK is selected.

Participants may now proceed with PUMA delineation, described in various options throughout
Chapter 4.

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2020 Public Use Microdata Areas Program (PUMA)
Coding Guidelines
September 2021

Background
State Data Centers (SDCs) provide PUMA names and codes with their 2020 PUMA submission. The Geographic
Update Partnership Software (GUPS) stores this information and bundles these attributes during the export
process. As the Census Bureau conducts their review of 2020 PUMA submissions, staff will work closely with
SDCs to ensure the codes observe the guidelines in this material. Because these geographies and their attributes
appear in public products (e.g., demographic, housing, and geographic products), the Census Bureau has final
approval on all names and codes.
The 2010 PUMA Names File that includes both the PUMA name and code for the nation is available on the
PUMA website. Participants in 2020 PUMA may find this reference file useful to copy/paste the names and
codes into GUPS rather than re-typing the information.

Guidelines
1) PUMA codes must be unique, five-digit numeric codes that range from 00100 – 99995.
2) Preserve the 2010 PUMA code for 2020 if the geographic extent of the proposed PUMA remains
unchanged from 2010, except when it is necessary to establish an orderly, logical coding scheme
within the state, as described in the next guideline.
3) PUMA codes should be assigned sequentially within a state, beginning with 00100, 00200, 00300,
and so forth in an orderly, logical manner. They should not be randomly assigned.
• To establish this orderly, logical manner, assign codes using a geographic sequence that begins
in the northwest corner of the state. Proceed with coding from west to east, then east to west in
a serpentine fashion until each PUMA is coded. This sequence of coding promotes easy
identification by visual inspection and review since codes that are close in numeric sequence
should be close geographically.

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4) Assign “00” as the fourth and fifth digits of the PUMA code for each PUMA that consists of either an
entire county or group of whole counties. This coding signifies the PUMA is comprised of one or
more whole counties. It allows for easy identification of whole county PUMAs, whether they are in a
single county or include a group of counties. See the image below for an example of a PUMA
comprising two whole counties.

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5) Assign the same first three digits of the PUMA code and increment up from “01” for the fourth and
fifth digits, for each PUMA that splits a county or group of counties. PUMAs that are delineated
using census tracts instead of whole counties, should be coded in this manner. This coding signifies
the PUMA is comprised of one or more split counties. It allows for easy identification of county-part
PUMAs, whether they are in a single county or span a group of counties. See the image below for an
example of PUMAs comprising parts of two counties.

Contact Information
For questions or clarification about these guidelines, contact the Census Bureau staff involved with the 2020
PUMA at for assistance.

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2020 Public Use Microdata Areas Program (PUMA)
Naming Guidelines
September 2021

Background
State Data Centers (SDCs) provide PUMA names and codes with their 2020 PUMA submission. The Geographic
Update Partnership Software (GUPS) stores this information and bundles these attributes during the export
process. As the Census Bureau conducts their review of 2020 PUMA submissions, staff will work closely with
SDCs to ensure the names observe the guidelines in this material. Because these geographies and their
attributes appear in public products (e.g., demographic, housing, and geographic products), the Census Bureau
has final approval on all names and codes.
The 2010 PUMA Names File that includes both the PUMA name and code for the nation is available on the
PUMA website. Participants in 2020 PUMA may find this reference file useful to copy/paste the names and
codes into GUPS rather than re-typing the information.

Basic Concepts and Nomenclature
PUMA names should clearly identify the geographic extent of the PUMA by identifying a concise area name
that is also meaningful to data users. They should be as short and concise as possible while still being
descriptive, clear, and unique within the state. Adequate PUMA names provide a means for easily
understanding and identifying the geographic location of each PUMA. They should generally reference the
geographic areas within the PUMA containing the most population, housing, and/or area. These could be
the county, place (incorporated place and census designated place (CDP)), county subdivisions, American
Indian reservation and/or off-reservation trust land, military installation, national park, and/or prominent
physical feature. Another factor in naming could be the geographic relationship within or to another
geographic area or well-known region (e.g., Northeast Utah, West Loudoun, Florida Panhandle).
The following guidelines refer to associations that the PUMA names have with the communities and
features their name represents. The Census Bureau may edit submitted names as necessary for consistency
and adherence to rules and guidelines described in this document.
1) PUMAs may be named after the largest population center, administrative division, or historically
central place within its boundary. Names of incorporated places, CDPs, and county subdivisions are
acceptable (e.g., Burbank in California and Taos in New Mexico).
2) PUMAs may be named after a populous American Indian reservation (AIR) within its boundary (e.g.,
Navajo Nation Reservation and Hopi Reservation in Arizona).
3) PUMAs may be named after a legal (e.g., county or incorporated place) or statistical geography (e.g.,
CDP).
• The geographic type, area descriptor, and/or compass direction may be appended to the name
to identify the geographic entity being described. This is especially important where a name
alone may cause confusion for data users. Examples of this style include South San Bernardino
County, San Bernardino City South, and Irvine South in California and Huntsville City (Central &
South) in Alabama.
4) PUMAs may be named after a prominent physical feature (e.g., Denali or Cook Inlet in Alaska), a
prominent land area in which it is partially or wholly located (e.g., Yellowstone National Park in
Wyoming), or a distinctive region within the county or state (e.g., Everglades or Lower Keys in
Florida).
5) Where a PUMA contains multiple centers or counties with relatively equal importance, the PUMA
name should represent no more than three of the centers or counties. If unclear which to include in
the name, use another guideline to name the PUMA.
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6) Where there is no clear cultural focus or topographic name that can be applied to a PUMA, PUMA
names can consist of the state or county name and a compass direction to indicate the portion of the
state or county in the PUMA. The directional indicator should precede the state and county name
(e.g., Northeast Colorado or Southwest Alabama). Note. In all other instances, the state name or
abbreviation should not be appended to the name.

Naming Convention Rules and Guidelines
The information in this section pertains to the structural components of the PUMA name apart from its origin or
association to the communities or features it represents.
1) PUMA names must not exceed 85 characters.
2) PUMA names must be unique within the state.
3) PUMA names must not include the state name or abbreviation, except where there is no clear
cultural focus or topographic name that can be applied to the PUMA, as described above in #7.
4) PUMA names may include hyphens to connect the names of multiple geographic areas.
5) PUMA names representing multiple geographic areas joined by hyphens should be presented in the
order of population size or regional importance, listing the most populous or most important first.
6) PUMA names must use the Roman alphabet as normally used for writing the English language. See
Table 1 for a list of valid characters for use in PUMA names.
Table 1: Valid Standard Characters for PUMA Names
Character(s)

U.S. Census Bureau

Description

A-Z

Uppercase letters

a-z

Lowercase letters

0-9

Numbers

blank

Single blanks, not two or more
consecutive blanks.

‘

Apostrophe

(

Open parenthesis

)

Close parenthesis

/

Forward slash

,

Comma

&

Ampersand

.

Period

-

Hyphen

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7) PUMA names may use diacritical marks (i.e., accents, rings, tildes, and umlauts). See Table 2 for a list
of acceptable diacritical marks taken from the Latin character set (ISO-8859-I).
Table 2: Acceptable ISO-8859-I (Latin Character Set) Characters for PUMA Names
Character

Code

Description

Á

193

A acute

Å

197

A ring

É

201

E acute

Í

205

I acute

Ñ

209

N tilde

Ó

211

O acute

Ú

218

U acute

Ü

220

U umlaut

á

225

a acute

å

229

a ring

é

233

e acute

í

237

i acute

ñ

241

n tilde

ó

243

o acute

ú

250

u acute

ü

252

u umlaut

8) PUMA names may include a limited number of abbreviations. PUMA names that use the words Saint
or Sainte, Air Force Base, and Air Reserve Base must be abbreviated as follows: St., Ste., AFB, and
ARB, respectively per Census Bureau naming rules. Except as described above in #3, use of state
abbreviations is discouraged. Use of all other abbreviations are discouraged and must be approved
by the Census Bureau.

Contact Information
For questions or clarification about these guidelines, contact the Census Bureau staff involved with the 2020
PUMA at for assistance.

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2020 Public Use Microdata Areas Program
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
September 2021

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1

2020 PUMA Basics ............................................................................................... 4

1.1

What are Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs)?............................................................ 4

1.2

What are Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data? ................................................... 4

1.3

What is the 2020 Public Use Microdata Areas Program (2020 PUMA)? ......................... 4

1.4

When does the 2020 PUMA occur?................................................................................. 4

1.5

What is the deadline for making a submission for the 2020 PUMA? ............................. 4

1.6

What has changed for the 2020 PUMA from the program in 2010? .............................. 5

Section 2

Criteria and Guidelines ........................................................................................ 6

2.1

What are the 2020 PUMA criteria and guidelines? ......................................................... 6

2.2

What are the 2020 PUMA coding guidelines? ................................................................. 7

2.3

What are the 2020 PUMA naming guidelines? ............................................................... 8

2.4

What are the minimum and maximum population thresholds for PUMAs? .................. 8

2.5

Why are core based statistical areas (CBSAs) important when delineating PUMAs?..... 8

Section 3

Registration, Participation, and Results ............................................................... 9

3.1

Who is eligible to participate in the 2020 PUMA? .......................................................... 9

3.2

Who designates the 2020 PUMA primary and secondary contacts? .............................. 9

3.3

What is the registration process for the 2020 PUMA?.................................................... 9

3.4

What are the options to participate in the 2020 PUMA? ............................................... 9

3.5

Is training available for the 2020 PUMA? ........................................................................ 9

3.6

Does the Census Bureau have a recommendation for developing a plan for
participating in the 2020 PUMA? .................................................................................. 10

3.7

Will we receive confirmation that the Census Bureau received and accepts our
proposed PUMAs? ......................................................................................................... 10

3.8

Is feedback issued after submissions are processed? ................................................... 10

3.9

When and where will the Census Bureau release the finalized PUMAs and associated
data? ............................................................................................................................. 10

Section 4

Materials........................................................................................................... 11

4.1

What program materials are needed to participate in the 2020 PUMA? ..................... 11

4.2

How are the program materials distributed? ................................................................ 11

4.3

How are the 2010 PUMA equivalency files used in the 2020 PUMA? .......................... 12

4.4

How is the 2010 Census Tract to 2010 PUMA Relationship File used in the 2020
PUMA? ........................................................................................................................... 12

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4.5

How is the 2010 PUMA shapefile used in the 2020 PUMA? ......................................... 12

Section 5

Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS) .............................................. 13

5.1

What is GUPS? ............................................................................................................... 13

5.2

Are there specific hardware/system requirements to install and use GUPS? .............. 13

5.3

Can I use a previously installed version of GUPS for the 2020 PUMA?......................... 13

5.4

We have downloaded GUPS from the PUMA website, but cannot install it. What
should we do? ................................................................................................................ 14

5.5

We do not allow for the download and extraction of .zip files onto our network. How
can we get the new GUPS version? ............................................................................... 14

5.6

Our IT staff installed the new GUPS version, but GUPS will not work for me. What
should we do? ................................................................................................................ 14

5.7

Does GUPS execute checks or verify the data it imports into a PUMA project? .......... 14

5.8

Does GUPS include pre-2020 population data? ............................................................ 14

5.9

What is the best way to share proposed PUMA work with a State Data Center (SDC)?
15

5.10 How does a State Data Center (SDC) combine the proposed PUMA work received from
others with the work they completed? ......................................................................... 15
5.11 Where does GUPS save the exported PUMA .zip file? .................................................. 15
Section 6

Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM)............................................................... 16

6.1

What is SWIM?............................................................................................................... 16

6.2

Are there specific hardware/system requirements to use SWIM? ............................... 16

6.3

Can I use an existing SWIM account for the 2020 PUMA? ............................................ 16

6.4

How do I determine if I have an existing SWIM account?............................................. 16

6.5

How do I resolve problems logging into SWIM? ........................................................... 16

6.6

How do I reset my SWIM password? ............................................................................. 17

6.7

How do I submit my state’s proposed PUMAs? ............................................................ 17

6.8

How do I resolve SWIM issues encountered when submitting my state’s proposed
PUMAs?.......................................................................................................................... 17

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SECTION 1
1.1

2020 PUMA BASICS

What are Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs)?

Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) are non-overlapping, statistical geographic areas that
partition each state or equivalent entity into contiguous geographic areas of at least 100,000
people. They cover the entirety of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands do not have PUMAs because their population is less than 100,000. Census tracts and/or
whole counties serve as the geographic foundation for PUMAs.
The Census Bureau creates PUMAs for the tabulation and dissemination of Public Use
Microdata Sample (PUMS) data. Additionally, the American Community Survey and Puerto Rico
Community Survey use PUMAs to disseminate their respective period estimates.

1.2

What are Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data?

PUMS data are a subsample of the full ACS records. The data files show a full range of
population and housing unit responses collected on individual ACS questionnaires for a
subsample of ACS housing units and group quarters persons. They enable data users to create
custom estimates and tables that are not available through ACS pre-tabulated data products.
Refer to Microdata (census.gov) and Geography & ACS (census.gov) for more details.

1.3

What is the 2020 Public Use Microdata Areas Program (2020 PUMA)?

The 2020 PUMA is a Census Bureau program that invites the State Data Centers (SDCs) in each
state, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to delineate Public Use
Microdata Areas (PUMAs) within their state or equivalent entity using specific criteria and
guidelines.

1.4

When does the 2020 PUMA occur?

The 2020 PUMA occurs between September 2021 and January 2022.

1.5

What is the deadline for making a submission for the 2020 PUMA?

The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2022.

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1.6

What has changed for the 2020 PUMA from the program in 2010?

For the 2020 PUMA, the Census Bureau requires the use of the Geographic Update Partnership
Software (GUPS) to prepare the submission and the use of the Secure Web Incoming Module
(SWIM) to send the submission to the Census Bureau.
The Census Bureau will implement two substantive changes to the PUMA criteria for 2020.
First, for PUMAs comprised of census tracts and covering less than entire counties, each unique
PUMA-county part must have a population of at least 10,000. Second, a PUMA may consist of
noncontiguous territory to encompass populations and communities that are more
homogenous; however, the noncontiguous areas must contain a population of at least 10,000.
The Census Bureau will review and provide final approval for all noncontiguous PUMAs.

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SECTION 2
2.1

CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES

What are the 2020 PUMA criteria and guidelines?

Refer to the 2020 PUMA Final Criteria document on the 2020 PUMA website for more specific
details and examples, but at a summary level:
•

Minimum Required Population and Maximum Suggested Population.
o Require minimum population threshold of 100,000 persons with the ability to maintain
this population throughout the decade.
o Should not contain more than 200,000 persons wherever possible, unless defining the
PUMA for an area where significant population decline is anticipated.

•

Relationships Between PUMAs and Other Geographic Areas.
o Must not cross state boundaries.
o Should comprise an area that is either entirely inside or entirely outside a core based
statistical area (CBSA) where possible 1.
o Should use 2020 place definitions, 2010 urban/rural definitions, and local knowledge to
inform PUMA delineations.
o Should avoid splitting Census Bureau urban areas.
o Should avoid splitting governmental minor civil divisions (MCDs).
o Avoid splitting American Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands
(AIRs/ORTLs), particularly if the population is included within all parts of the split
AIR/ORTL. Since AIRs/ORTLs may cross state boundaries, this guideline applies only to
the portion of an AIR/ORTL within a state. In all such instances, consider the total
population and makeup of the affected areas in any decisions regarding the adjustment
of PUMAs for AIRs/ORTLs.
 If the AIR/ORTL has a population of <100,000, it should be contained within one
PUMA.
 If the AIR/ORTL has a population of <200,000, it should be contained within no more
than two PUMAs.

•

Geographic Entities Used to Define PUMAs.
o Must use counties (or equivalent entities 2) and/or census tracts to construct.
o A single county may be a PUMA if it meets the 100,000 minimum population threshold.
o Two or more contiguous counties may be combined to form a PUMA that meets the
100,000 minimum population threshold.
o Divide counties with more than 200,000 population using census tracts. Consider
aggregation of census tracts that approximate the extent of other geographic entities
(i.e., MCDs, incorporated places, census designated places, and/or urban areas).

The term, core based statistical areas became effective in 2000 and refers collectively to metropolitan and
micropolitan statistical areas. Refer to Metropolitan and Micropolitan (census.gov) for more information.
2
Includes parishes in Louisiana; boroughs and census areas in Alaska; municipios in Puerto Rico; independent cities
in Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia; that portion of Yellowstone National Park in Montana; districts in
American Samoa; three main islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands; municipalities in the Northern Mariana Islands; and
the entire areas constituting the District of Columbia and Guam.
1

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o

Contiguity and Noncontiguity Guidelines for Delineation of PUMAs.
o To the greatest extent possible, each PUMA should encompass a single, geographically
contiguous area.
o May be noncontiguous if the county, counties, or census tracts used to form the PUMA
are noncontiguous.
o Use of noncontiguous building blocks is acceptable where it facilitates more
demographically homogenous areas; however, this is not intended to create highly
fragmented PUMAs.
o All noncontiguous PUMAs are subject to Census Bureau final review and approval.

•

Place of work (POW) and Migration (MIG) PUMAs.
o Delineated by statisticians, not as part of the 2020 PUMA, using Place of work data and
in/out migration data after the 2020 PUMA concludes.
o Standard PUMAs used to create POWPUMAs and MIGPUMAs; therefore, carefully
consider standard PUMA relationships with other geographic areas when forming the
standard PUMAs.
o Can consist of single PUMA or combination of PUMAs (county-based or census tractbased), but must aggregate to whole counties. Carefully consider how this will affect the
eventual aggregation of PUMAs that are not delineated using whole counties.
o Refer to Understanding and Using the American Community Survey Public Use
Microdata Sample Files (census.gov) for more information. This document is located on
the Microdata (census.gov) page.

•

2.2

Census tract-based PUMAs may cross county boundaries provided each PUMA-county
part meets a minimum population threshold of 10,000. This is an increase from the
2,400-minimum requirement from 2010. This change is intended to further ensure the
confidentiality of data in a PUMA-county part, align with the 2020 Census urban area
plans, and eliminate unique geographic areas with low population.

What are the 2020 PUMA coding guidelines?

Refer to the 2020 PUMA Coding Guidelines document on the 2020 PUMA website for specifics
on the coding for PUMAs, but at a summary level:
•

PUMA codes must be a five-digit, numeric code, ranging from 00100 – 99995.

•

PUMA codes must be unique within the state.

•

Preserve the 2010 PUMA codes for 2020 if the geographic extent of the proposed PUMAs
remain unchanged from 2010, except when it is necessary to establish an orderly, logical
coding scheme within the state, as described in the next guideline.

•

PUMA codes should be assigned sequentially within a state, beginning with 00100, 00200,
00300, and so forth in an orderly, logical manner. They should not be randomly assigned.
o To establish this orderly, logical manner, assign codes using a geographic sequence that
begins in the northwest corner of the state. Proceed with coding from west to east, then
east to west in a serpentine fashion until each PUMA is coded. This sequence of coding
promotes easy identification by visual inspection and review since codes that are close
in numeric sequence should be close geographically

•

Assign “00” as the fourth and fifth digits of the PUMA code for each PUMA that consists of
either an entire county or group of whole counties. This coding signifies the PUMA is
comprised of one or more whole counties.

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Assign the same first three digits of the PUMA code and increment up from “01” for the
fourth and fifth digits, for each PUMA that splits a county or group of counties. This coding
signifies the PUMA is comprised of one or more split counties.

•

2.3

What are the 2020 PUMA naming guidelines?

Refer to the 2020 PUMA Naming Guidelines document on the 2020 PUMA website for basic
concepts and nomenclature details, but at a summary level the naming convention rules and
guidelines include the following:

2.4

•

PUMA names must not exceed 85 characters.

•

PUMA names must be unique within the state.

•

PUMA names must not include the state name or abbreviation, except where there is no
clear cultural focus or topographic name that can be applied to the PUMA, as described
above in #7.

•

PUMA names may include hyphens to connect the names of multiple geographic areas.

•

PUMA names representing multiple geographic areas joined by hyphens should be
presented in the order of population size or regional importance, listing the most populous
or most important first.

•

PUMA names must use the Roman alphabet as normally used for writing the English
language.

•

PUMA names may use diacritical marks (i.e., accents, rings, tildes, and umlauts).

•

PUMA names may include a limited number of abbreviations, though use of abbreviations is
discouraged.

What are the minimum and maximum population thresholds for
PUMAs?

The minimum population threshold is 100,000 and the maximum suggested population
threshold is 200,000, with a few exceptions. A single PUMA should not contain more than
200,000 persons unless it is defined for an area in which significant population decline is
anticipated. There are some unique situations where PUMAs may contain more than 200,000 in
population due to geographic constraints, but it should be avoided whenever possible. Any
county with a population substantially more than 200,000 should be subdivided into multiple
PUMAs because PUMAs with a population between 100,000 to 200,000 are more suitable for
detailed, meaningful analysis of data from the American Community Survey.

2.5

Why are core based statistical areas (CBSAs) important when delineating
PUMAs?

Although not a criteria for PUMA delineation, for PUMS data to be meaningful, PUMA
boundaries should be entirely within or entirely outside CBSA boundaries. The Census Bureau
does not recommend splitting a PUMA among CBSAs. For more information about CBSAs refer
to Metropolitan and Micropolitan (census.gov).

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SECTION 3
3.1

REGISTRATION, PARTICIPATION, AND RESULTS

Who is eligible to participate in the 2020 PUMA?

The Census Bureau invites all State Data Centers (SDCs) that represent states or equivalent
entities of more than 200,000 persons to participate in the 2020 PUMA. For states or equivalent
entities with a population of more than 100,000, but less than 200,000 (i.e., Guam and the U.S.
Virgin Islands), the Census Bureau defines the single PUMA without the need for participant
input or official program participation.
The Census Bureau encourages eligible SDCs to involve other interested individuals from tribal,
state, and local governments as well as regional organizations and agencies, especially those
that represent counties and cities over 100,000 people to ensure that PUMAs meet the needs
of a variety of data users.

3.2

Who designates the 2020 PUMA primary and secondary contacts?

The State Data Center (SDC) leads received an email in early November 2020 that requested the
designation of a primary and secondary contact for their respective SDC. As the program start
date of September 2021 draws closer, SDCs may alter their contacts for the 2020 PUMA by
sending an email to .

3.3

What is the registration process for the 2020 PUMA?

There is no formal registration process. The Census Bureau established a primary and
secondary contact from State Data Centers in November 2020 and will announce the beginning
of the 2020 PUMA in an email to those primary and secondary contacts in September 2021.

3.4

What are the options to participate in the 2020 PUMA?

There is only one option to participate in the 2020 PUMA – Geographic Update Partnership
Software (GUPS). While participants may use their own geographic information system (GIS) to
research, analyze, and prepare information, the GUPS must be used to create the PUMA project
that includes the proposed PUMAs for submission to the Census Bureau.

3.5

Is training available for the 2020 PUMA?

The Census Bureau plans to conduct two trainings in October 2021 and one in December 2021.
Information about these trainings is located on the 2020 PUMA website. Census Bureau staff
will be available throughout the program to answer questions that may arise. Send an email to
for training or support outside of these three training opportunities.

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3.6

Does the Census Bureau have a recommendation for developing a plan
for participating in the 2020 PUMA?

Each State Data Center (SDC) should consider how they will conduct the PUMA work in their
state, including work performed by others outside of the SDC (i.e., tribal, state, local
governments and local or regional organizations), to determine the best delineation method(s)
for their state or specific situation. If others are delineating PUMAs for their specific section of
the state, the SDC must be prepared to import the work received into the state’s PUMA project
or load it into their project for reference and review. It is the responsibility of the SDC to
determine what delineation manner works best for their state/situation and to communicate
how they want the work completed and received. Instructions for loading/adding/importing
data received from others is described in chapter 4 of the participant guide.
For SDCs that are the sole participant for their state, use GUPS and the recommendations
described in the participant guide to complete the proposed delineations. For SDCs that plan to
have others assist, the Census Bureau recommends SDCs create a folder on their computer or
network, separate from the directory created by GUPS, to store the incoming proposed PUMAs
(e.g., shapefiles, tabular equivalency files, text files, maps, etc.). Doing so protects information
received should GUPS malfunction.
The Census Bureau recommends a thorough review of the PUMA documentation and
establishing/maintaining communication with all interested data users and the Census Bureau
throughout the timeframe of the program. Attending a PUMA training in the fall of 2021 is also
highly recommended.

3.7

Will we receive confirmation that the Census Bureau received and
accepts our proposed PUMAs?

The Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM) generates a message on-screen indicating a
successful transmission of the PUMA .zip file. The Census Bureau will send a separate email
confirming receipt of the submission. As the Census Bureau reviews the submission, they will
contact State Data Centers to discuss any questions or concerns they encounter with the
proposed PUMAs.

3.8

Is feedback issued after submissions are processed?

There is no formal feedback issued based on the Census Bureau’s content review of the State
Data Center’s submission. If there are issues discovered with the proposed PUMAs (e.g.,
naming, coding, boundaries) during processing, the Census Bureau may seek clarification or
confirmation through email or a phone call to the primary and/or secondary contact(s).

3.9

When and where will the Census Bureau release the finalized PUMAs
and associated data?

Finalized PUMAs from the 2020 PUMA and their associated PUMS data will be available online
for use by the public beginning in summer of 2022 on .
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SECTION 4
4.1

MATERIALS

What program materials are needed to participate in the 2020 PUMA?

Participants use the following program materials to create PUMAs:
•

2020 PUMA Final Criteria.

•

2020 PUMA Summary Guide.

•

2020 PUMA Participant Guide.

•

2020 PUMA Coding Guidelines.

•

2020 PUMA Naming Guidelines.

•

Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS).
o Required to delineate PUMAs and prepare a standardized output .zip file for submission.

2010 PUMA shapefile layer
o Automatically loads in GUPS for use as visual reference.

•

2010 PUMA Names File.
o Use as a reference and, if reusing a 2010 name and/or code for a 2020 PUMA, use to
copy/paste the 2010 name and/or code into GUPS.

•

Local data and materials for reference.

•

Note: Participants use the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM) to submit the proposed PUMAs to
the Census Bureau for the 2020 PUMA. Learn more about SWIM in section 6 of this material.
Detailed instructions on SWIM are in chapter 7 of the participant guide.

4.2

How are the program materials distributed?

The program materials are available online from the 2020 PUMA website which is hosted on
the main PUMA website. State Data Centers (SDCs) must download the materials (e.g.,
instructions, software, etc.) from the respective websites. With SDCs serving as the primary
participant, they must work to coordinate with individual and regional agency contributors. See
the GUPS section of this FAQ document for questions related to multiple PUMA contributors.

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4.3

How are the 2010 PUMA equivalency files used in the 2020 PUMA?

The 2010 PUMA equivalency files are state-based, tab-delimited text files that show the
geographic correlations between the 2010 PUMAs and some standard 2010 Census geographic
entities (e.g., counties, functioning minor civil divisions, places, and census tracts). These files,
also known as PUMS Equivalency Files, delineate the summary level codes specific to the
PUMA. It has its own set of summary level code and hierarchical sequencing. Refer to the
“Reference Information” section on the PUMA website for these files and more information.
State Data Centers (SDCs) may wish to use the equivalency file for their state (or the 2010
Census Tract to 2010 PUMA relationship file) within a geographic information system (GIS)
software to perform comparisons and analysis with other locally sourced data in preparation
for creating 2020 PUMAs.

4.4

How is the 2010 Census Tract to 2010 PUMA Relationship File used in
the 2020 PUMA?

The 2010 Census Tract to 2010 PUMA Relationship File is a nation-based, comma-delimited text
file that identifies the state, county, and census tract(s) contained within a PUMA for all 50
states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin
Islands. The file has four fields: two-digit state Federal Information Processing Series (FIPS)
code, three-digit county FIPS code, six-digit census tract code, and five-digit 2010 PUMA code.
The file does not include geographic names referenced by the FIPS codes. Locate this file in the
“Reference Information” section of the PUMA website.
State Data Centers (SDCs) may wish to use the relationship file (or the 2010 PUMA equivalency
file for their state) within a geographic information system (GIS) software to perform
comparisons and analysis with other locally sourced data in preparation for creating 2020
PUMAs.

4.5

How is the 2010 PUMA shapefile used in the 2020 PUMA?

The 2010 PUMA shapefile is a reference layer for use in creating 2020 PUMAs. The 2010 PUMA
shapefile automatically loads into GUPS upon creation of the state’s PUMA project. Since the
shapefile is based off 2010 geography, the 2010 PUMAs may not align exactly with the 2020
geographies that are used during the 2020 PUMA. Use the 2010 PUMA shapefiles as a visual
reference during delineation.

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SECTION 5
5.1

GEOGRAPHIC UPDATE PARTNERSHIP SOFTWARE
(GUPS)

What is GUPS?

The Geographic Update Partnership Software, or GUPS, is a self-contained, customized
geographic information system (GIS) software application provided to participants by the
Census Bureau for use in completing many of their geographic programs and operations. Each
geographic program supported by GUPS includes a unique set of tools built to run within the
QGIS environment. For the 2020 PUMA, GUPS is programmed to allow for the sharing of work
performed by multiple participants to facilitate a collaborative delineation effort and to prepare
standardized output files of the delineated PUMAs for submission to the Census Bureau.
Note: State Data Centers use the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM), detailed in section 6 of these
FAQs, to submit their proposed PUMAs to the Census Bureau.

Designed with the participant in mind, GUPS is user-friendly. It includes a review tool requiring
the validation of the data to the program criteria and thresholds before creating a submission
.zip file. GUPS ensures the submission is valid and allows for easier processing once received by
the Census Bureau. GUPS does not require an internet connection to function, but one is
necessary to use the “Census Web” option and the built-in imagery server.
GUPS allows participants to add external geospatial data (shapefiles, geodatabases, and
imagery) and tabular data (e.g., text files in the .txt or .csv format) for comparison and update
purposes.

5.2

Are there specific hardware/system requirements to install and use
GUPS?

GUPS can be installed on both Windows® and Apple® operating systems. GUPS requires a
minimum of 4 gigabytes (GB) of disk space and a minimum of 4 GB of RAM (8 GB preferred for
optimal performance) to run. Disk space to store shapefiles varies by size of the shapefiles.
Refer to the participant guide for specific instructions on downloading and installing GUPS.

5.3

Can I use a previously installed version of GUPS for the 2020 PUMA?

No, all participants must install an updated version of GUPS to participate in the 2020 PUMA.
The updated version is available for download from the 2020 PUMA website. Confirm the
version installed (i.e., version 14.0.0-6) prior to proceeding by using the GUPSAbout GUPS
menu.

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5.4

We have downloaded GUPS from the PUMA website, but cannot install
it. What should we do?

Many agencies/organizations require certain security privileges to download and install
external software. Work with your local Information Technology (IT) staff person to gain those
rights or ask they assist with installation. If you still have problems, please contact the Census
Bureau by email at for assistance.

5.5

We do not allow for the download and extraction of .zip files onto our
network. How can we get the new GUPS version?

Contact the Census Bureau by email at to request a secure email
delivery of the software during your communication. Please note the software is in the form of
a .zip file to extract and install locally. Work with your local Information Technology (IT) staff
person to assist with installation.

5.6

Our IT staff installed the new GUPS version, but GUPS will not work for
me. What should we do?

GUPS users with different security privileges other than IT staff that installed the software may
encounter problems accessing the directories and plugins needed to operate GUPS. This usually
occurs when the software is not installed under the user’s profile. To correct this, have the IT
staff person reinstall GUPS under the user’s profile using the user’s credentials.

5.7

Does GUPS execute checks or verify the data it imports into a PUMA
project?

No, GUPS does not verify the data it imports. GUPS is programmed to check for basic field
requirements (e.g., correct number of characters in code and name, no overlaps, etc.) during
the import process, but it has no way of knowing whether what its importing is valid.
Participants should conduct their own quality checks of the files they have prior to importing
them. For details on quality checks performed outside of GUPS, refer to chapter 5 of the
participant guide.
As part of the export process, the project undergoes final quality checks and verification to
confirm proper format and adherence to the criteria and guidelines for the 2020 PUMA.

5.8

Does GUPS include pre-2020 population data?

No, the state-based county and state-based census tract shapefile layers used by GUPS includes
the population counts from the 2020 Census. GUPS permits participants to load/add other files
(e.g., pre 2020 figures or post-2020 local estimates) for reference purposes.

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5.9

What is the best way to share proposed PUMA work with a State Data
Center (SDC)?

All participants (e.g., SDCs, tribal, state, local governments, and regional planning
agencies/organizations) must use GUPS to create proposed PUMAs for their area of interest.
Once the proposed PUMAs are complete, the participant would use GUPS to export a shapefile
or a tabular equivalency file (TEF) of their proposed PUMAs. They would share their exported
file following the guidance they received from their SDC.
The Census Bureau recommends SDCs add/load the files into the state’s PUMA project for
review PRIOR to importing the work into the project. Once the SDC agrees with the work, they
can use the added file as a reference to perform their own interactive delineation of the PUMAs
or they can import and append the file (or files) into the state’s PUMA project. The specifics of
these tasks are included in chapter 4 of the participant guide.

5.10

How does a State Data Center (SDC) combine the proposed PUMA work
received from others with the work they completed?

GUPS allows SDCs to import and append multiple files into the state’s PUMA project; however,
the Census Bureau strongly recommends reviewing all proposed PUMAs prior to importing the
files into the project. Refer to chapter 4 in the participant guide for detailed instruction on
adding a PUMA shapefile as a layer for reference and for importing a PUMA shapefile and/or
PUMA tabular equivalency file (TEF) into a state’s PUMA project.

5.11

Where does GUPS save the exported PUMA .zip file?

GUPS saves the exported PUMA .zip file to C:\GUPSGIS\gupsdata\PUMA20\output. Please note
the drive label (e.g., C:\) may differ on your machine if the default installation directory
changed during the installation process.
The file naming convention for the exported puma .zip file is “puma20_XX_return.zip”, where
XX is the two-digit FIPS code for the state. If you cannot locate the file, perform a file search for
“puma20_*.zip”.

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SECTION 6
6.1

SECURE WEB INCOMING MODULE (SWIM)

What is SWIM?

The Secure Web Incoming Module, also known as SWIM, is the official web portal for secure
upload of partnership materials to the Census Bureau. Due to Census Bureau IT Security
policies, participants use SWIM to provide their 2020 PUMA submission .zip file to the Census
Bureau.
Access SWIM from the following URL: .

6.2

Are there specific hardware/system requirements to use SWIM?

SWIM runs on the two most recent versions of each of the four major internet browsers (i.e.,
Internet Explorer®, Google Chrome®, Mozilla Firefox®, and Apple Safari®). If you encounter
issues with using SWIM, confirm the browser version and update it if it is not one of the latest
two versions. If you are still having issues, contact the Census Bureau at
for assistance.

6.3

Can I use an existing SWIM account for the 2020 PUMA?

Yes, individuals can use existing SWIM accounts for the 2020 PUMA.

6.4

How do I determine if I have an existing SWIM account?

To determine whether a SWIM account exists, click the “Forgot your password” link on the
main SWIM page and enter the email address to check for account existence. If SWIM does not
locate an account associated with the email address, it will return the following message, “No
account registered for this email. Go to Account Registration.” Choosing the ‘Account
Registration’ link opens a window to establish a new SWIM account.
For those without an account, the PUMA Team will provide a SWIM token during their followup after receipt of the announcement email or email to request a
new SWIM token to proceed with establishing a new account.

6.5

How do I resolve problems logging into SWIM?

First, the email and password components of the SWIM system accounts are case-sensitive. If
you have forgotten the case-sensitive format used when establishing the SWIM account, this
may be the source of your login problems.
SWIM allows four attempts to login before it temporarily locks your account for 15 minutes. If
you have attempted to login four times, wait 15 minutes and try to login again using different
case sensitive combinations for your email address. If you have simply forgotten your password,
you may reset your password using the ‘Forgot your password’ link on the login page. This
functionality works in the same manner as other online websites; however, if you cannot
remember the case-sensitive format used for the email address, this password reset
functionality will not work. To attempt to reset your password, follow the prompts for entering
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your case-sensitive email address and providing your security answer. If the security answer is
correct, the SWIM system will send a password reset link to the email account for use in
resetting the password. The security answer is not case-sensitive.
As a last resort, the Census Bureau can issue another SWIM token to establish another SWIM
account for your use. Please contact the Census Bureau by email at
for another token.

6.6

How do I reset my SWIM password?

If you have forgotten your SWIM password, you can reset your password by going to the SWIM
website and selecting “Forgot your password?” on the login page. SWIM allows you to reset
your password information and security questions.
Once selected, follow the prompts to enter your email address and provide your security
answer. If the security answer is correct, the SWIM system sends a password reset link to the
email account for use in resetting the password.
Once logged into SWIM, users can modify their password and security answer by selecting the
‘Change Security’ link at the top, right-hand side of the page.

6.7

How do I submit my state’s proposed PUMAs?

Access SWIM from the following URL: and follow the instructions
in chapter 7 of the participant guide. Note that FAQ 5.11 gives information regarding the file’s
location.

6.8

How do I resolve SWIM issues encountered when submitting my state’s
proposed PUMAs?

Three of the most common issues with SWIM involve the web browser, the file extension, and
the file size.
SWIM supports the two most recent versions of Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla
Firefox, and Apple Safari. If your version is older, upgrade to a newer browser version and try
uploading again.
SWIM only recognizes “.zip” file extensions, so ensure the file you are attempting to submit is in
the .zip file format. This should not be an issue for PUMA participants since GUPS creates a .zip
file during the Export for Census process.
Lastly, SWIM currently has a size limitation of 250 megabytes for .zip files. Most submissions
will easily fall beneath the 250 megabytes size limitation. If your file is larger than 250
megabytes, please contact the Census Bureau by email at to discuss
options for making your state’s submission.

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Subject: 2020 PUMA official launch announcement and instruction to download materials
OMB Control No. 0607-1017
Expiration Date 07/31/2024

Dear 2020 PUMA Contact:
You are receiving this email because you are a point of contact for the 2020 Public Use
Microdata Areas Program, also known as the 2020 PUMA. With receipt of this email, please
take the following actions to begin your work.
All materials created in support of the 2020 PUMA are digital and are available online at

.
•

•

Download and review the following documents:
o 2020 PUMA Final Criteria.
o 2020 PUMA Summary Guide.
o 2020 PUMA Participant Guide.
o 2020 PUMA Coding Guidelines.
o 2020 PUMA Naming Guidelines.
Download and install the Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS).
o IMPORTANT: You must download and install the version of GUPS from the website listed
above to participate in the 2020 PUMA. Previously installed GUPS versions are not valid for
use in delineation of PUMAs.

For additional information and guidance, refer to the main PUMA website at

.

The Census Bureau will contact you to confirm receipt of this correspondence. Please contact
the Census Bureau PUMA team by email at if you have any questions
regarding the 2020 PUMA.
We estimate that completing this program will take 40 hours on average. Send comments regarding this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to
geo.puma@census.gov. This collection has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The
eight-digit OMB approval number that appears at the upper left of the email confirms this approval. If this number
were not displayed, we could not conduct this survey. The Census Bureau conducts this program under the legal
authority of the Title 13 U.S. Code, Section 6.