Metropolitan and Micropolitan
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Lists of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Definitions
A metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area's geographic delineation, or list of geographic components at a particular point in time, is referred to as its "definition." Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas are defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and are the result of the application of published standards to Census Bureau data. The standards for defining the areas are reviewed and revised once every ten years, prior to each decennial census. Generally, the areas are redefined using the most recent set of standards following each decennial census. 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 2009.
The files below show definitions of metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas and related statistical areas defined by OMB since June 2003. Related statistical areas include New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs), which are conceptually similar to metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, but are defined using cities and towns instead of counties; Combined Statistical Areas, which are aggregates of adjacent metropolitan or micropolitan statistical areas that are linked by commuting ties; and Combined New England City and Town Areas, which are aggregates of adjacent NECTAs that are linked by commuting ties.
Current List of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Definitions
Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas
Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas (metro and micro areas) are geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for use by Federal statistical agencies in collecting, tabulating, and publishing Federal statistics. The term "Core Based Statistical Area" (CBSA) is a collective term for both metro and micro areas. A metro area contains a core urban area of 50,000 or more population, and a micro area contains an urban core of at least 10,000 (but less than 50,000) population. Each metro or micro area consists of one or more counties and includes the counties containing the core urban area, as well as any adjacent counties that have a high degree of social and economic integration (as measured by commuting to work) with the urban core.
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