This dataset contains model-based census tract estimates. PLACES covers the entire United States—50 states and the District of Columbia—at county, place, census tract, and ZIP Code Tabulation Area levels. It provides information uniformly on this large scale for local areas at four geographic levels. Estimates were provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Population Health, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. PLACES was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in conjunction with the CDC Foundation. The dataset includes estimates for 36 measures: 13 for health outcomes, 9 for preventive services use, 4 for chronic disease-related health risk behaviors, 7 for disabilities, and 3 for health status. These estimates can be used to identify emerging health problems and to help develop and carry out effective, targeted public health prevention activities. Because the small area model cannot detect effects due to local interventions, users are cautioned against using these estimates for program or policy evaluations. Data sources used to generate these model-based estimates are Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2021 or 2020 data, Census Bureau 2010 population data, and American Community Survey 2015–2019 estimates. The 2023 release uses 2021 BRFSS data for 29 measures and 2020 BRFSS data for seven measures (all teeth lost, dental visits, mammograms, cervical cancer screening, colorectal cancer screening, core preventive services among older adults, and sleeping less than 7 hours) that the survey collects data on every other year. More information about the methodology can be found at
www.cdc.gov/places.
