A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such as self-governing cities, towns, and villages, for the purposes of gathering and correlating statistical data. CDPs are populated areas that generally include one officially designated but currently unincorporated small community, for which the CDP is named, plus surrounding inhabited countryside of varying dimensions and, occasionally, other, smaller unincorporated communities as well. CDPs include small rural communities, colonias located along the U.S. border with Mexico, and unincorporated resort and retirement communities and their environs. 

The boundaries of a CDP have no legal status. Thus, they may not always correspond with the local understanding of the area or community with the same name. However, criteria established for the 2010 Census require that a CDP name "be one that is recognized and used in daily communication by the residents of the community" (not "a name developed solely for planning or other purposes") and recommend that a CDP's boundaries be mapped based on the geographic extent associated with inhabitants' regular use of the named place. 

The Census Bureau states that census-designated places are not considered incorporated places and that it includes only census-designated places in its city population list for Hawaii because that state has no incorporated cities. In addition, census city lists from 2007 include Arlington County, Virginia's CDP in the list with the incorporated places.
When were criteria made regarding CDP names?
In what 2010 event?
What is a CDP?
What is it defined by?
why?
How long have they been in use?
Do they include rural areas?
What about unincorporated resort areas?
What else do they include?
What are they the counterpart of?
Such as?
2010
However, criteria established for the 2010 Census require that a CDP name "be one that is recognized and used in daily communication by the residents of the community"
for the 2010 Census
 established for the 2010 Census
A census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP)
the United States Census Bureau
 defined by the United States Census Bureau
for statistical purposes
for statistical purposes only
since 1980
 CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 
yes
plus surrounding inhabited countryside 
yes
 unincorporated resort and retirement
small rural communities
 CDPs include small rural communities,
incorporated places
the counterparts of incorporated places
self-governing cities, towns, and villages
such as self-governing cities, towns, and village