what is urban area

An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. It includes the city itself, as well as the surrounding areas. Urban areas are locations with high population density and are often the main area of employment. They have the most human-built structures, which create opportunities for health such as sidewalks and public transit, but also create challenges to health such as sedentary commuting and air quality. The U.S. Census Bureau designates areas of 2,500 to 50,000 people as Urban Clusters and areas of 50,000 or more people as Urbanized Areas. For the 2020 Census, an urban area will comprise a densely settled core of census blocks that meet minimum housing unit density and/or population density requirements. To qualify as an urban area, the territory identified according to criteria must encompass at least 2,000 housing units or have a population of at least 5,000.