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Scientific Data Documentation
FIPS Codes - CMSA, MSA, PMSA (1990)
DSN: CC37.CODES.CPHL10.Y90 MSA USAGE NOTES/NEWS Source: APDU Newsletter Volume 17, No. 1 January/February 1993 MSA Redefinitions Cause A Stir in the Northeast The redefinitions of the New York and Boston metropolitan areas announced by the Office of Management and Budget on December 31,1992, have caused a stir among public officials, planning departments, and cial services agencies in the northeastern part of the United States. The primary concern is the funding changes that many think will occur as the result of higher wage and cost of living indices. Higher median income figures would impact the eligibility of some people for needs-assessed programs like Medicare and housing assistance; some of those who presently quality may find themselves ineligible. But while some would suffer under the redefinitions, others would fare better because funding would shift from one community to another. The New York Times reported on February 31,1993 ("Officials Say Redrawn Census Area Will Rearrange Federal Finances") that hospitals in New York City could lose $121 million a year under the new definitions, but the hospitals in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania counties in the New York metropolitan area could gain about $150 million. The Office of Management and Budget began defining metropolitan areas in 1950 in order to standardize federal statistical reporting activities. The OMB definition is based on three criteria: population, density, and commuting. A metropolitan area must have a central core of a certain population site and a densely populated adjacent area with a certain percentage of the area's residents commuting into the city for employment Attendant to this is the expectation of a high degree of social and economic integration between the city and the adjacent area. Some people question whether the expanded New York and Boston metropolitan areas mesh with this concept. Over the last 10 years business relocations have changed commuting patterns and suburbs have become more self contained. In some cases the social and economic relationship with the city is minimal, if it exists at all. For instance, does Ocean County, NJ, have a higher degree of social and economic interaction with New York City than, say, Fairfield County, CT - which was not included in the metropolitan area? The Office of Management and Budget notified Congressional delegates in October that changes in definitions would be forthcoming. Planners and organizations who will have to deal with the impact of the re-definitions say this information was not passed along to them, perhaps because main election activities at that time. The Office of Management and Budget has agreed to open a comment period for the New York and Boston areas that will run until sometime in March. Congressional delegates in the New York area were notified by letter on January 31 that they had 45 days to respond with comments. The Boston delegations will receive a similar letter, although it had not been mailed as of February 1. Individuals who have concerns about these definitions should address them to Maria Gonzalez, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503 their legislators. It is important that your legislators know now, and for future reference, how such redefinitions will affect their constituents. APDU would like to receive copies of letters that members write on the positive or negative impacts of the redefinitions. You can obtain a copy of Bulletin No. 93-05 from the APDU office at (609) 258-6025, or the Office of Management and Budget Publications Office at (202)395-7332. Contact the National Technical Information Service at (703) 487-4650 for a copy of the complete list of Metropolitan Areas (which include Metropolitan Statistical Areas) as of December 31,1992. About MSAs... Why? So that all federal agencies use the same geographic definitions to collect, tabulate, and report data for metropolitan areas. How? The Office of Management and Budget establishes the geographic definition of each metropolitan area based on comments received directly from the public, from a public hearing, and from the interagency Federal Executive Committee on Metropolitan Areas. The basis is a concept developed in 1950. When? Standards for defining metropolitan areas are reviewed after each decennial census. Metropolitan area definitions are issued based on the standards. Definitions are updated each June, based on Census Bureau intercensal population estimates or special census population counts. Metropolitan Areas Timeline 1950 Standard Metropolitan Area (SMA) defined by Bureau of the Budget (later named Office of Management and Budget) -Core city/urban area population of 50,000+ -Strong commuting ties -Counties were basic building blocks (cities and towns in New England) -172 SMAs designated -Name change to Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area in 1959 1983 New list of Metropolitan Statistical Areas issued ("Standard" is dropped from title); breakouts for: -Metropolitan Statistical Area -City/urbanized place of 50,000+ -Largest city has less than 50,000 people, then MSA must have at least 100,000 -Strong commuting ties -257 MSAs designated -Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area -Contiguous MSAs of 1,000,000+ people -Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area -Combinations of PMSAs that form a larger, interrelated network 1993 MSA, FMSA, CMSA standards basicaly remain the same, some changes in urban density requirements* -253 MSAs designated Metropolitan Areas are categorized by population size Level A MSAs of 1,000,000 or more Level B MSAs of 250,000 to 999,999 Level C MSAs of 100,000 to 249,999 Level D MSAs of less than 100,000 *Contact APDU (609-258-6025) for a copy of OMB's Revised Standards for Defining Metropolitan Areas in the 1990s, issued in the Federal Register of March 30, 1990. * Reprinted with permission of the Association of Public Data Users (APDU) For membership information contact: Susan Anderson (609) 258-6025 or (609) 258-6052RECORD LAYOUT Character Item Description 1-4 FIPS MSA/CMSA Code 5 Blank 6-9 FIPS PMSA Code (`0000' = MSA; or CMSA Total) 10 Blank 11-12 FIPS State Code 13-15 FIPS County Code 16-18 Census MCD Code 19-27 April 1, 1990 Population Count 28-36 April 1, 1980 Corrected Population Count 37-45 Numeric Change, 1980-1990 46-52 Percent Change, 1980-1990 (1 expressed decimal place) 53-60 Land Area in square miles (1 expressed decimal place) 61-68 Persons per square mile (1 expressed decimal place) 69 Blank 70-124 Area Name
