Category:Census-designated places in the United States

The United States Census Bureau defines census-designated places around population centers that have no legally-defined corporate limits and are not within an incorporated municipality (except for New England and a few other states where minor civil divisions such as a town or township can be an incorporated place).

For example, compare Category:Unincorporated communities in Washington (U.S. state) with Category:Census-designated places in Washington (U.S. state).