Moody's Analytics Buffet Blog

Summary	February 2013 -- The OMB has defined new metro areas for the U.S. based on the 2010 Census. These will first be used by the BLS in March 2015, and integrated into Moody's Analytics data products progressively thereafter.
Detail	Defining agency OMB Bulletin No. 13-01 establishes revised delineations for metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), metropolitan divisions, micropolitan statistical areas, combined statistical areas (CSAs), New England city and town areas (NECTAs), and combined New England city and town areas. Adoption by statistical agencies The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will adopt the 2010 delineations with the release of the 2014 CES benchmarks in March 2015. Adoption by Moody's Analytics's ECCA We will introduce the new metropolitan delineations in our historical database on a flow basis in conjunction with the underlying source schedules. This will affect geo codes, geo wild cards, the content of the Geo Wizard, and predefined geo lists (see related article). Presently, our plan is to integrate the new delineations into our estimates and forecasts in April 2015, following the CES benchmark. Summary County allocation: 3,143 counties 1,167 within metropolitan statistical areas 641 within micropolitan statistical areas 1,335 non-metro CBSA allocation: 388 metropolitan statistical areas 381 in the U.S. 11 containing 31 component metropolitan divisions 7 in Puerto Rico 541 micropolitan statistical areas 536 in the U.S. 5 in Puerto Rico 169 combined statistical areas 524 component metropolitan and/or micropolitan statistical areas Detail The delineations reflect the Standards for Delineating Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published on June 28, 2010 in the Federal Register (75 FR 37246-37252) and the application of those standards to Census Bureau population and journey-to-work data. The 2010 standards replace and supersede the 2000 standards for defining Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas. (For successive definitions, see the full list at OMB.) The bulletin represents the product of OMB's once-a-decade comprehensive review of statistical area standards and delineations. OMB issues periodic updates of the areas between decennial censuses based on Census Bureau data (see related article). A change in the standards as well as their application to new Census Bureau data has resulted in an increase in the number of CSAs. The OMB recommends that all agencies that conduct statistical activities to collect and publish data for MSAs, metropolitan divisions, micropolitan statistical areas, CSAs, and NECTAs should use the most recent delineations of these areas established by OMB. However, in MA-ECCA's experience, some sources will continue with the 2000 or 1990 delineations.
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