What's the difference? "5-Digit Zip Code" vs. ZCTA as Geo Choice

Just noticed this in data.census.gov.  

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  • The Census Bureau does not release ACS data at the ZIP Code level, but instead for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs), which are generalized representations of U.S. Postal Service ZIP Code service areas. The Census Bureau has a short video that explains how ZCTAs differ from ZIP Codes. However, it looks like 5-Digit Zip Codes are listed as a geography in data.census.gov because they are available in a limited set of Census Bureau data sets, such as County Business Patterns.

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  • The Census Bureau does not release ACS data at the ZIP Code level, but instead for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs), which are generalized representations of U.S. Postal Service ZIP Code service areas. The Census Bureau has a short video that explains how ZCTAs differ from ZIP Codes. However, it looks like 5-Digit Zip Codes are listed as a geography in data.census.gov because they are available in a limited set of Census Bureau data sets, such as County Business Patterns.

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