Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) Metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) are geographic entities defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) using published standards that are applied to Census Bureau data. While the basic concept of the metropolitan area has not changed since its inception, the specific criteria for defining these areas are revised periodically, generally prior to each decennial census. Following each decennial census, the areas are redefined using the most recent set of standards. Between censuses, the definitions are updated annually to reflect the most recent Census Bureau population estimates. Areas based on the 2000 standards and Census 2000 data were defined in June of 2003. The current definitions are as of December 2005. A MSA is a county or group of contiguous counties that contains at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more population. In addition to the county or counties that contain all or part of the urbanized area, an MSA may contain other counties that are economically and socially integrated with the main city as measured by work commuting. Counties that are not within an MSA are considered to be nonmetropolitan. The 2000 OMB standards differentiate nonmetropolitan counties into two distinct types of counties: micropolitan counties and nonmicropolitan counties.SOURCE: Health, United States Related
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This page last reviewed
January 11, 2007
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