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The changing metropolitan designation process and rural America
Rebecca T Slifkin1, Randy Randolph, Thomas C Ricketts
1North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center, Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. Becky_slifkin@unc.edu
Summary
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget updated Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) in 2003. These new designations reveal shifts in metropolitan and micropolitan classifications, impacting urban and rural area definitions.
Area of Science:
- Urban and Regional Planning
- Demographics
- Geographic Classification Systems
Background:
- The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) revised county-based Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) in June 2003.
- These new CBSA designations replaced the previous Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) classifications from 1990.
- The update introduces two primary categories: Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Micropolitan Statistical Areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the new OMB county-based Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) designations.
- To identify counties that have experienced changes in their classification under the new system.
- To analyze the shifts in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan county statuses.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of county classifications based on the 2003 OMB designations.
- Comparison of 1999 metropolitan/nonmetropolitan classifications with the new 2003 CBSA categories.
- Quantification of county reclassifications into metropolitan, micropolitan, or outside CBSA statuses.
Main Results:
- Most previously metropolitan counties retained their status (94%), with some becoming micropolitan (5%) or outside CBSAs (0.7%).
- A significant portion of nonmetropolitan counties in 1999 now remain outside CBSAs (60%), while others became micropolitan (28%) or metropolitan (12%).
- The percentage of metropolitan counties increased from 27.2% to 34.7%, encompassing 83% of the U.S. population.
Conclusions:
- The new CBSA system reflects national urban growth and market agglomeration trends.
- Potential interpretation challenges exist due to the combined 'CBSA' designation for metropolitan and micropolitan areas.
- The classification scheme may overlook the distinct characteristics of areas situated entirely outside any CBSA.