Boundary and Annexation Survey

Boundary and Annexation Survey
TIGERweb Quick Guide
A Quick Guide for Reviewing Boundaries using TIGERweb

Last updated January 2025.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) TIGERweb Quick Guide

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... iii
Chapter 1 Reviewing a Boundary using TIGERweb ............................................................... 1
Chapter 2 Reviewing a Boundary Using TIGERweb REST Services ......................................... 4
2.1

Adding TIGERweb Data in ArcGIS Pro .............................................................................. 4

2.1.1 Adding TIGERweb Data in ArcGIS Pro ......................................................................... 5
2.1.2 Adding TIGERweb Data in QGIS................................................................................... 5

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Direct Links to REST Services for BAS related Geographies .............................................. 4

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: TIGERweb Application after Initial Launch ...................................................................... 1
Figure 2: Layer Tab with Select Vintage Dropdown Menu ............................................................. 1
Figure 3: Boundary Layers............................................................................................................... 2
Figure 4: Query Tool Icon ................................................................................................................ 2
Figure 5: Query Tool Dialog Box ..................................................................................................... 3
Figure 6: TIGERweb Task Results and Map with Basemap Selection Icon ..................................... 3
Figure 7: Add Data Menu in ArcGIS Pro .......................................................................................... 5
Figure 8: Add Data From Path in ArcGIS Pro................................................................................... 5
Figure 9: Create ArcGIS Map Server Connection in QGIS ............................................................... 6
Figure 10: Browser Pane Showing TIGERweb Data ........................................................................ 6

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) TIGERweb Quick Guide

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INTRODUCTION
TIGERweb is a web-based system that allows users to visualize the U.S. Census Bureau’s
Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) database and provides a
simple way to view TIGER data without geographic information system (GIS) software and
without downloading data. For more details on TIGERweb that are not included in this BASspecific material, refer to the comprehensive TIGERweb User Guide.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) TIGERweb Quick Guide

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CHAPTER 1

REVIEWING A BOUNDARY USING TIGERWEB

1. Launch TIGERweb at .
a. Once loaded, a map appears in the center of the screen with a vertical menu on the left
side.

Figure 1: TIGERweb Application after Initial Launch

2. From the menu on the left side, select the data vintage.
a. Ensure the Layers tab is selected on the left side of the screen.
b. Using the Select Vintage dropdown menu, choose Current from the list (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Layer Tab with Select Vintage Dropdown Menu

3. Select the check box next to the layer name that best corresponds to your government type.
a. Layers containing legal boundaries include American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native
Hawaiian Areas, Places and County Subdivisions, or States and Counties (Figure 3).
b. Other layers, such as Transportation and Hydrography (water), can be toggled off and on
while reviewing your boundary.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) TIGERweb Quick Guide

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Figure 3: Boundary Layers

4. Use the Query tool to search for the boundary of your government.
a. Select the icon depicting a globe and magnifying glass in the upper right corner of the map
to open the Query tool (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Query Tool Icon

b. From the Query dialog box that opens (Figure 5), select the Attribute tab.
c. Using the Select Map dropdown menu, select the option that best corresponds to your
government type from the following:
• American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Areas.
• Places and County Subdivisions.
• States and Counties.
d. Under the Select Layers option, choose your government type.
e. Search for your government using either the GEOID or Name.
i. GEOID: Enter the GEOID of your government in the Enter GEOID of Feature box. The
GEOID for your government can be found either on the Boundary Review page of the
BAS Online Annual Response Form at , or on
the BAS Code Lists on the BAS website at .
ii. Enter the name of your government in the Enter Name of Feature box.
f. Select the Submit button.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) TIGERweb Quick Guide

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Figure 5: Query Tool Dialog Box

5. Zoom to the government and view the boundary.
a. From the vertical menu on the left side, select the Task Results tab and then select the
Query Results (Figure 6). Select the name of your government to zoom to the boundary.
b. Zoom and pan around the boundary to review by holding the left mouse button and moving
the mouse.
c. Change the map background to show terrain, landmass, or satellite imagery by selecting the
Basemap Selection icon in the upper right corner of the map.

Figure 6: TIGERweb Task Results and Map with Basemap Selection Icon

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) TIGERweb Quick Guide

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CHAPTER 2
2.1

REVIEWING A BOUNDARY USING TIGERWEB REST
SERVICES

Adding TIGERweb Data in ArcGIS Pro

While TIGERweb was designed for use without a GIS, the data within TIGERweb can be brought
into a GIS software through Representational State Transfer (REST) Services. Table 1 lists the
direct links to common BAS geographies. Additional levels of geography can be added from the
main TIGERweb REST page
. The
instructions provided in this section of the guide cover adding the REST Services data to ArcGIS
Pro and QGIS, sections 2.1.1 and 2.1.2, respectively.
IMPORTANT:

These files are not the same as the partnership shapefiles, so fields required for BAS
submissions will not be present in the data if you use them for geoprocessing. Refer to
the BAS website for information on
submitting changes to BAS.
Table 1: Direct Links to REST Services for BAS related Geographies

Geography

REST Services Link

Tribal Areas
(American
Indian, Alaska
Native, and
Native
Hawaiian
Areas)

States and
Counties

Incorporated
Place, County
Subdivision,
Consolidated
City, and/or
CDP

Labels

Note: Labeling information is stored in a separate service. If you want to view labels in the map, you
will have to add them separately. Identify tools will show the full attribution of an entity on
other REST Services.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) TIGERweb Quick Guide

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2.1.1

Adding TIGERweb Data in ArcGIS Pro

1. Open your local boundary data in ArcGIS Pro.
2. From the Map tab in the Layer group, select the Add Data button, then select Data From Path
(Figure 7).

Figure 7: Add Data Menu in ArcGIS Pro

3. Enter the desired REST Services link from Table 1 and select Add (Figure 8). The data will be
added to the bottom of the Contents Pane in your ArcGIS Pro project and is ready to use.

Figure 8: Add Data From Path in ArcGIS Pro

4. Repeat the process to add other levels of geography to reference.
5. Review the local boundary data with the TIGERweb data to ensure accuracy.

2.1.2

Adding TIGERweb Data in QGIS

1. Launch QGIS. On the left side in the Browser pane, right-click on ArcGisMapServer and select
New Connection.
a. If a Browser pane is not visible, activate it by selecting the View menu then Panels and
selecting the box next to Browser.
2. In the Name field, provide a name for the service (e.g., TIGERWeb–Places) that will be easy to
identify. In the URL field, copy and paste the REST Services link for desired geography from
Table 1. Select OK (Figure 9).

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Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) TIGERweb Quick Guide

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Figure 9: Create ArcGIS Map Server Connection in QGIS

3. Expand the ArcGisMapServer option in the Browser pane to see the new connection. Expand
the new connection to see all the layer options (Figure 10).

Figure 10: Browser Pane Showing TIGERweb Data

4. Find the level of geography to review and add the top-most entry to the canvas by dragging and
dropping or by right-clicking and selecting Add Selected Layer(s) To Canvas.
a. The top-most entry is the current vintage while the entries below are from earlier vintages.
b. The American Community Survey (ACS) and Census 2020 products that appear first are
generalized products and not recommended for boundary review.
c. For State and County data, the data is sorted by zoom level, not by data vintage. Add
multiple levels or even all levels to the canvas to ensure visibility. View more specific
information about each layer by using the Data Source Manager window.
5. Review the local boundary data with the TIGERweb data to ensure accuracy.
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Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) TIGERweb Quick Guide

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