Volume 9,
No. 2
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Articles:
An
Examination of the Illinois and United States Economy Using Current Employment
Statistics Data
Demographic Issues Facing the “New” Workforce
New Standards and Geographic Definitions for Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Important Changes to Illinois Statewide and Sub-State Labor Force Estimates
New Standards and
Geographic Definitions for Metropolitan Statistical Areas
By:
Rich Reinhold
Metropolitan Statistical Areas were first established more than 50 years ago and provide nationally consistent definitions for reporting federal statistics, including economic data. While the definition has changed over time, a Metropolitan Statistical Area generally includes a city with substantial population along with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) maintains and updates Metropolitan Statistical Area classifications following the completion of each decennial census. In December 2000, the OMB announced new standards for designating Metropolitan Statistical Areas, including new statistical areas called Micropolitan Areas. The 2000 standards were developed over the course of several years with public comment and review. In June 2003, the OMB announced the official list of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas, based on population and worker commuting data reported in the 2000 Census.
Metropolitan Statistical
Areas
Under the 2000 standards, Metropolitan Statistical Areas are defined as
having a central county or counties with an urbanized area of at least
50,000 people, plus adjacent outlying counties having a high degree of
economic integration with the central county, as measured through worker
commuting ties. Multiple counties are included in a Metropolitan Statistical
Area if at least 25 percent of employed residents in the central county
commute to work in one or more adjacent counties. The largest city in
the Metropolitan Statistical Area is listed first in the title and additional
cities may be included in the name if they meet certain population and
employment criteria.
The Metropolitan Statistical Areas including a population of 2.5 million or more were further subdivided into Metropolitan Divisions. For example, the interstate Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area was subdivided into three separate Metropolitan Divisions: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL, Lake County-Kenosha, IL-WI and Gary, IN.
The application of the 2000 standards to Census 2000 data resulted in the designation of 49 new Metropolitan Statistical Areas, bringing the total number of areas in the U.S. and Puerto Rico to 370 (as of June 2003). In Illinois, there are 11 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, including the Illinois part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Chicago-Naperville-Joliet IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area has two Metropolitan Divisions that includes Illinois counties. The table and map below present the Metropolitan Statistical Area names and geographic definitions that were announced in June 2003.
Micropolitan Statistical
Areas
The 2000 standards also provide for Micropolitan Statistical Areas. These
are areas with a central county or counties and an urban cluster of 10,000-49,999
people, plus adjacent counties having a high degree of economic and social
integration as measured through worker commuting. Multiple counties are
included in a Micropolitan Area if at least 25 percent of employed residents
in the central county commute to work in one or more adjacent counties.
The naming convention for Micropolitan Areas is the same as for Metropolitan
Areas, with the largest community presented first. As of June 2003, there
were a total of 565 Micropolitan Statistical Areas in the U.S. and Puerto
Rico. In Illinois, there were 23 Micropolitan Statistical Areas, including
four shared with border states. The table above shows the names and geographic
definitions of Illinois Micropolitan Statistical Areas.
Labor Force and Non-farm
Employment Data for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas
The Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program will publish monthly
labor force estimates for 2000-based Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical
Areas, beginning in March 2005, with the release of January 2005 data.
The Current Employment Statistics (CES) program will publish non-farm
industry employment estimates for 2000-based Metropolitan Statistical
Areas beginning in March 2005, with the release of January 2005 data.
Historical monthly and annual labor force and non-farm jobs data under
the 2000-based geographic definitions will be available back to 1990.
You can find more information on Metropolitan Statistical Area standards
and definitions as well as maps at: http://www.bls.gov/lau/lausmsa.htm
and http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metroarea.html.
For more information contact:
Rich Reinhold
e-mail: Richard.Reinhold@Illinois.gov
Phone (312) 793-5896
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