Overview
Periodically the Federal Government redefines metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas based on the size of their urban communities and economic ties. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the latest county definitions in February 2013. Two Oregon counties have changed designations. Josephine County is now a metropolitan counties instead of micropolitan counties, after increasing its commuting ties with Jackson County. Linn County has also changed from a micropolitan to a metropolitan county as the population of Albany, the largest urban area in the county surpassed 50,000 residents.
2013 Map of Oregon’s metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas
Definitions
|
County Type |
Size of Largest Urban Area |
Where Working Residents are Employed |
Jobs in the County |
||
|
Metropolitan |
50,000 or more |
OR |
More than 25 % work in a metro county |
OR |
More than 25% are held by residents in a metro county |
|
Micropolitan |
10,000 to 49,999 |
More than 25% work in a micro county |
More than 25% are held by residents in a micro county |
||
|
Noncore |
Less than 10,000 |
AND |
Less than 25% commute to a single metro or micro county |
AND |
Less than 25% of jobs in the county are held by residents of a single metro or micro county |
Use in Community Development
By using urban size and economic ties, these designations are one method of classifying counties as urban and rural. Any classification that relies on county boundaries presents an aggregate perspective that may feel skewed to some residents, especially in states with large counties like Oregon.
What can these classifications tell us about rural community development?
- For some people Metropolitan = Urban and Micropolitan and Noncore = Rural
- There are many rural residents and communities located in metropolitan and micropolitan counties
- Counties that are next to metropolitan statistical areas usually have faster population growth rates, all else equal
- Being economically linked to another county through commuting provides more reasons to work regionally
- When the central city in a county reaches a population of 10,000 or more it might start to become a regional job and service center
- If you only use this county level designation to define rural and urban, the rural population appears to decline much more rapidly. Not all rural places decline, many grow their way into metropolitan areas or increase their economic ties to neighboring urban areas.