TIGER 2007 – Present Shapefile Variables for the FACES File Type

FACES type shapefiles contain attribute data for the left and right sides of map features such as Census Tract, Block Group, and Block values. Variable names in FACES type shapefiles change depending on the year the shapefile was created, so the variables read during the import process will change by year as well.

For example, when importing 2007-2009 TIGER/Line shapefiles, state FIPS codes from the STATEFP variable are read. But when importing 2010 TIGER/Line shapefiles, the STATEFP10 values are read from the FACES type shapefile. Documentation available on the U.S. Census Bureau website explains the variables in each TIGER/Line shapefile for a specific release year.

The default FACES variables used are listed below by release year. The table also includes the SAS macro variable in which the FACES variable name is stored. You can override the default FACES variable by defining a different FACES variable name in the appropriate SAS macro variable. In that case, your specified FACES variable will be imported instead of the default.