Even with these rules, however, many large and closely built-up
places were excluded from the urban territory. To improve the situa-
tion in the 1960 Census, the Bureau of the Census set up, in advance
of enumeration, boundaries for urban-fringe areas around cities of
50,000 or more and for unincorporated places outside urban fringes.
All the population residing in urban-fringe areas and in unincorporated
places of 2,500 or more is classified as urban according to the new
definition. (Of course, the incorporated places of 2,500 or more are
urban in their own right.) Consequently, the special rules of the old
definition are no longer necessary.

To the primary political divisions into which the Maryland coun-
ties are divided, the Bureau applies the general term "minor civil
divisions". These vary from State to State, but in Maryland they are
known as "election districts". An election district is analogous to a
township but it serves only as a unit for elections and has no political
organization with its own individual government.

The term "place" as used in census reports refers to a concentra-
tion of population regardless of the existence of legally prescribed
limits, powers or functions. Most of the places listed are incorporated
as cities or towns. In addition, unincorporated places of 1,000 inhab-
itants or more are also presented.