Question
For the redefined U.S. metro areas (the "Census 2010 CBSA delineations"), what are the geo codes, geo lists, and reference files provided by Data Buffet?
Answer
Summary of changes
- MSAs: net increase of 14, from 374 to 388
- Includes MSAs containing metro divisions
- Includes Puerto Rico
- Metro divisions: net increase of two, from 29 to 31
- Upgrades from micropolitan area to MSA: 24
- Deletions: 10 MSAs and two metro divisions
- Includes counties being subsumed into other CBSAs
- Redefinitions: 84 MSAs and nine metro divisions
Geo codes
- 1990: ^^^
- 2000: M^^^, DM^^^, O^^^
- 2010: IUSA_M^^^, IUSA_DM^^^, IUSA_O^^^
We have designed our CBSA geo codes to facilitate migration. For example, “Evansville, IN-KY MSA” is coded as MEVA and IUSA_MEVA under the 2000 and 2010 delineations, respectively. In general, replace “.” with “.IUSA_” in your mnemonic references. However, commonality in name and code do not guarantee identical composition; in Evansville’s case, it has shrunk from six component counties to four. Please check our references (see below) and amend your interpretation of results as necessary.
Geo lists
Geo lists simplify baskets. By appending a geo list to a concept code rather than a single geo code, the basket will retrieve an entire set of series -- same concept, different places. Geo lists are more specific than geo wild cards, and return results in a specified order. (See related article)
Prefab geo lists for Census 2010 CBSAs:
- CBSA10_CSA.LST = 169 combined statistical areas
- CBSA10_METDIV.LST = 419 MSAs and metro divisions (double counting)
- CBSA10_X_METROWDIV.LST = 401 non-Puerto Rico MSAs (excl. those with metro divisions) and metro divisions
- CBSA10_METRO.LST = 388 MSAs incl. Puerto Rico
- CBSA10_DIVISION.LST = 31 metro divisions
- CBSA10_MICRO.LST = 541 micropolitan areas
Maps
FAQs
Reference files
The following reference files (see related article) are Microsoft Excel files except where noted.