This program can be used to retrieve reference coordinates for a particular community in a given state, or for multiple communities within a state. The coordinates may then be plotted on a Tiger Census Map using the link or green blocks (to change the map size), if so desired, to show the location of the reference point to that community and adjacent communities.

Some points of interest:

• Selection of a state is always required. You may enter one or more letters in the City field. The query will find all the reference coordinates for cities that start with the entered letters.

• Abbreviations are usually spelled out, for example Saint Louis for St. Louis, MO. However, this may not always be the case, as in Sault Ste Marie, MI.
• You may elect to see the retrieved coordinates on a map. Selecting the Map of Coordinates option will set up the information needed to create the map. Then select "Go Get the Map" to display the map in the right center frame.
  • The initial map area covered by map generated through the Community Coordinates program is 0.7 degrees latitude and 0.7 degrees longitude.

  • The FCC does not guarantee the accuracy of any of the reference coordinates used in this program. Where accuracy is essential, the coordinates should be verified against other sources (U.S.G.S. maps, surveys, etc.)
  • The U.S. Census Bureau has a similar reference coordinate function, the U.S. Gazetteer. Decimal coordinates of communities may be obtained, and population data as well.

  • Please be aware that the Census Bureau's Gazetteer and the FCC's Community Coordinates programs may produce different results in some instances. There may also be differences compared to community data in other FCC databases. We will not try to resolve these discrepancies.

• In many cases, the reference point will not correspond to the physical center of a community. This may be due to the selection of a post office or other landmark as the center, or the city may have grown since the point was selected.

• Petitioners seeking to establish a new FM or TV allotment in a community should be aware that a community shown through this program may not be suitable for an allotment. A "community" shown in this data may be merely a portion of a larger community or a very small named place. Such "communities" may not qualify as an community in an allotment proceeding.
  

The Community Coordinates query is located at http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/mb/audio/atlas2.html.

This information page is located at http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/atlas4.html.