core-based statistical area

core-based statistical area (CBSA)

A concept developed by the federal Office of Management and Budget in order to standardize geographic and population descriptions so that data from one federal agency may be reliably related to data from another federal agency without having to
recheck definitions used by each agency. In the Year 2000 census definitions by the United States Census Bureau,a core-based statistical area is a functional region based around an urban center of at least 10,000 persons.These definitions replace the Year 1990 census definitions of metropolitan area,metropolitan statistical area,and consolidated metropolitan statistical area, although the older terms are still used in common parlance.CBSAs are further grouped as follows:

• Metropolitan statistical area. Contains at least one urbanized area of 50,000 people or more.

• Micropolitan statistical area. Contains at least one urbanized area and a population of
10,000 to 50,000 people.

• Metropolitan divisions. Divisions in metropolitan statistical areas with a single core of 2.5
million people or more.

• New England city and town areas (NECTAs). Geographic areas defined by cities and towns
in New England, but still segregated according to the 50,000 people per size cutoff.