Our Method
Tech the giants use. Now available to everyone.

Census Block Group Technology

The Magic that happens behind every Locate™ Product
Census Block Groups (CBGs) are the smallest geographical unit used by the US Census Bureau and provide true market reflection by incorporating neighborhoods, natural areas, and geographical boundaries.
There are a total of 239,780 CBGs in the USA.
Each CBG includes a population of only 600 – 3,000 people.
A typical suburban area in a 30-Minute Drive Time Search Area contains 200-600 CBGs.
Example of a single Census Block Group within a search area.
Partial Census Block Groups
Locate’s Platform allows for Partial CBGs which are the percentages that fall within the boundary of the search area. This means even more precision as this applies to demographic and competition calculations done in the platform.
Example of a Partial Census Block Group included in a Radius Search Area.

Psst…
Why not Zip Codes?
- Zip Codes are artificially defined boundaries created by the Post Office.
- They are irregular in shape and often too large.
- They show no actual relevance to true market behavior or information.
Learn more from this independent third-party expert’s advice about why you should not use Zip Codes.
Fact: There are a total of 27,797 zip codes in the USA.
Why not Concentric Circles?
- Concentric Circles are artificially defined six-mile diameter search areas that are placed edge to edge on a grid without overlap.
- They provide data from areas that are much too large that have no relevance to true market information.
- This results in a small number of potential locations being researched.
Fact: Each concentric circle covers approximately 28 square miles.
Helping businesses and communities thrive.
Locate™ is an independent, unbiased Location Strategy consulting firm helping practitioners, businesses, and communities to thrive. Established in 2010.

David James, CPA
CEO, Founder

Dean Tomlinson
Director of Operations

Melinda Alic
Director of Marketing