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Exports from U.S. Metropolitan Areas
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- How is a metropolitan area defined?
- How often are metropolitan areas updated?
- Why are data only available since 2005?
- There was an earlier series that had metropolitan export data. Why was this series discontinued in 2001?
- Can data be compared between the 2001 and the 2005 series?
- What is the Origin of Movement series?
- Does the metropolitan export series measure exports of services?
- Is the metropolitan export series ever revised?
- Are the export values available in the metropolitan export series adjusted for any factors such as seasonality or prices?
- Will these data be available quarterly?
- When will full-year 2007 data be available?
- Will the export data ever be made available down to the zip code or county level?
- Are data available to measure metropolitan area imports?
- Is the metropolitan export data the same as Custom District or port data?
- Does the metropolitan export series give production data?
- Why is my metropolitan area not listed on the table for ‘Metro Exports Value Percent Share of State’?
- On the table containing ‘Metro Exports by Destination’, why is data available for multiple destinations that may contain several of the same countries? Can these destinations be added together?
- Why is data not available for certain metropolitan areas?
- Why is country detail only available for the top 50 metropolitan areas?
- Can I get export data from my metropolitan area to more than just the top 5 countries?
- Can I compare data from the metropolitan series to state data from other sources, such as TradeStats Express or USA Trade Online?
- Can I get metropolitan export data for all countries and all product categories to each metropolitan area?
- Q: How is a metropolitan area defined?
A: All metropolitan Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) export
numbers in these tables were tabulated by matching the five-digit
zip codes entered on U.S. export declarations with the five-digit
zip codes specified for each metropolitan CBSA using concordance
files from the Census Bureau’s Geography Division and the
U.S. Postal Service. The boundaries of official metropolitan
CBSAs are county-based and are defined by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). A comprehensive listing of
the areas is available on OMB’s website.
- Q: How often are metropolitan areas
updated?
A: Metropolitan areas are redefined every 10 years based
on population counts taken during the 10-year Census. The
metropolitan areas referenced in the 2005-2007 data are
based on the 2000 Census.
- Q: Why are data only available since
2005?
A: In order to assign exports to a specific metropolitan
area, the Census Bureau must collect and analyze data for
the exports on a zip code basis. Data collection on this
basis began in 2005, making this the earliest year for which
data are available.
- Q: There was an earlier series that
had metropolitan export data. Why was this series discontinued
in 2001?
A: The earlier series was based on the Exporter Location
Series collected by the Census Bureau from shipper’s export
declarations. With the introduction of the Automated Export
System by the U.S. Customs Bureau and the Census Bureau,
the accuracy of the Exporter Location Series became highly
suspect, and the series was discontinued. Measurement of
exports by metropolitan area was not again possible until
the introduction of the zip-based Origin of Movement series
in 2005.
- Q: Can data be compared between the
2001 and the 2005 series?
A: No. The 2001 data are based on Exporter Location Series
and the 2005 data are based on the Origin of Movement (OM)
series. No comparisons should be made between the two.
- Q: What is the Origin of Movement series?
A: The OM series measures export statistics based on the
location from which the merchandise starts its journey to
the port of export. The earliest version of this series
was based on the state from which merchandise began its
journey (as listed on the shipper’s export declaration).
In 2004, changes were made such that the origin of movement
could also be determined by the zip code of the U.S. Principle
Party of Interest. The collection of this new zip-based
series is what makes it possible to determine exports by
metropolitan area.
- Q: Does the metropolitan export series
measure exports of services?
A: No, the metropolitan export data series measures only
the dollar value of merchandise exports (goods that can
physically be transported across the border). At this time,
there is no way to measure services exports by metropolitan
area.
- Q: Is the metropolitan export series
ever revised?
A: At this time, no revisions are made to the metropolitan
export data for data timing or errata adjustments issued
by the Census Bureau. The national total for goods exports
based on the metropolitan export series will only match
other unrevised sources.
- Q: Are the export values available
in the metropolitan export series adjusted for any factors
such as seasonality or prices?
A: The metropolitan export data are only available in nominal
U.S. dollars. The dollar values that are reported are not
adjusted for inflation or any other factors.
- Q: Will these data be available quarterly?
A: At this time, there are plans to release new metropolitan
export data twice yearly, with one release for the first
half of the year and a second release of the annual data.
- Q: When will full-year 2007 data
be available?
A: A release date for full-year 2007 data has not yet been
determined. Announcements will be made once a release date
is scheduled.
- Q: Will the export data ever be
made available down to the zip code or county level?
A: At a later date, to be determined, data may be made
available for the value of exports on the 3-digit zip
code level. Due to federal government suppression restrictions,
however, distribution of export data by 5-digit zip code
is not possible. At this time, we do not have data by
individual counties. If you wish to purchase trade data
for a particular county, please contact the U.S. Census
Bureau’s Foreign Trade Division.
- Q: Are data available to measure metropolitan
area imports?
A: No. Imports are only measured in the Customs District
where the goods enter the U.S. Customs Territory. Once the
merchandise enters the country, it is not tracked to its
final destination. Therefore, it is not possible to measure
imports by state or metropolitan area.
- Q: Is the metropolitan export data
the same as Custom District or port data?
A: No. Customs District and port data only measure goods
that leave out of a particular district or port (regardless
of where the good originated in the United States). Since
the metropolitan export data is based on the Origin of Movement
series, this data attempts to track the export back to its
origin of export (regardless of where the good actually
leaves the country). For example, in the metropolitan series,
a good that began its journey to export from Chicago will
be attributed to Chicago, even if the good left the country
from the port of Miami or Los Angeles.
- Q: Does the metropolitan export series
give production data?
A: No. The metropolitan series allocates exports to metropolitan
areas based on the address of the United States Principal
Party in Interest (USPPI) of record. The USPPI of record
is not necessarily the entity that produced the merchandise;
hence, the series does not furnish complete and reliable
data on the production origin of U.S. exports.
- Q: Why is my metropolitan area not
listed on the table for ‘Metro Exports Value Percent Share
of State’?
A: Percent share of a state's exports cannot be calculated
for metropolitan areas that cross state boundaries. Please
refer to the OMB definitions for your metropolitan area
to confirm that the area contains counties from more than
one state. This is also evident in the metropolitan area’s
name in other tables on our site. For instance, the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington,
PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan area contains data from select
counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
- Q: On the table containing ‘Metro
Exports by Destination’, why is data available for multiple
destinations that may contain several of the same countries?
Can these destinations be added together?
A: The world destinations that we chose reflect the groupings
that are relevant to ITA's varied client base. These world
destinations are based on political, economic, and geographic
groupings. Some countries may be members of multiple groups;
therefore, values for country groups cannot be summed to
arrive at meaningful totals.
- Q: Why is data not available for
certain metropolitan areas?
A: Because of U.S. laws that preclude disclosure of confidential
business data provided to the federal government, it was
necessary for the U.S. Census Bureau to suppress the export
totals for four metropolitan CBSAs in mid-year 2007: Decatur,
Illinois; Fairbanks, Alaska; Mayaguez, Puerto Rico; and
Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In 2006, the totals for two metropolitan
CBSAs were excluded: Decatur, Illinois, and Tuscaloosa,
Alabama. The totals for these metropolitan CBSAs have been
folded into a category labeled "other metropolitan areas."
- Q: Why is country detail only available
for the top 50 metropolitan areas?
A: Due to time and cost restrictions, ITA was forced to
put some limitations on the data that we requested from
the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau puts considerable time
and resources into collecting the data and analyzing it
to be sure that no information is disclosed that may identify
an individual company or exporter. To expedite the release
of the data and keep costs reasonable, ITA requested that
we receive country detail for only the top 50 metropolitan
areas. If your metropolitan area falls outside the top 50,
you may be able to purchase this country detail from the
U.S. Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade Division.
- Q: Can I get export data from my metropolitan
area to more than just the top 5 countries?
A: Our database is limited to only the top 5 countries for
the top 50 metropolitan areas. Additional country detail
may be available for purchase from the U.S. Census Bureau’s
Foreign Trade Division.
- Q: Can I compare data from the metropolitan
series to state data from other sources, such as TradeStats
Express or USA Trade Online?
A: No. The metropolitan series should only be compared to
other sources that also use the Origin of Movement zip code
based series. Both TradeStats Express and USA Trade Online
publish their export data on an Origin of Movement state-basis.
State totals on a zip-basis can be found on the Census Bureau’s
website, located here: http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/state/zip/index.html.
- Q: Can I get metropolitan export data
for all countries and all product categories to each metropolitan
area?
A: Due to time and cost considerations, we were forced to
put some limitations on the data that we requested from
the Census Bureau, therefore we were not able to obtain
all of this data for our database. Additional country and
product detail may be available for purchase from the U.S.
Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade Division, please contact them
for details.
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