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From History to Modernity: How Does the Evolution of American Urban Areas Change Our Lives?
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographic region with a relatively high population density in its core area and close economic ties throughout the region. These areas are not legal entities like cities or towns, nor are they legal administrative units like counties or states. Therefore, the exact definition of a particular metropolitan area may vary between sources.
The standard definition of a metropolitan statistical area was first established in 1949 and redefined in 1983 as a metropolitan statistical area (MSA).
With suburbanization, most metropolitan areas have become polycentric rather than concentrated in a single historical core city (such as New York City or Chicago). For example, the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (Hampton Roads), Riverside-San Bernardino (Inland Empire), and Minneapolis -São Paulo (the Twin Cities) are both metropolitan areas that contain multiple large historical core cities.
The Core Basic Statistical Area (CBSA) defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) covers all major metropolitan areas, counties, and county-level areas across the country. The cities in the central part are so-called "core cities," and counties in these cities must have at least 50% of their residents living in urban areas of at least 10,000 people. Depending on the strength of social and economic ties, surrounding counties can be included in the CBSA.
For example, a surrounding county must have at least 25% of its workers working in Centre County, or 25% of its jobs held by residents of Centre County, in order to be counted in the CBSA.
Neighboring CBSAs may be combined into one statistical area if they meet certain conditions. There is no doubt that the evolution of the U.S. Metro statistical area reflects the urban development trend of the United States, from the wave of urbanization in the early 20th century to today's diversity and population mobility.
Historical BackgroundThe history of metropolitan statistical areas in the United States dates back to 1910, when the Census Bureau created metropolitan areas to standardize the classification of large cities and their surrounding areas. The initial metropolitan area threshold was 200,000, but it was dropped to 100,000 in 1930 and again to 50,000 in 1940. As urbanization and population grew, the outline of the metropolitan area underwent several major updates.
In 1950, the metropolitan area distinction was replaced by the standard metropolitan area, which was further evolved into the standard metropolitan statistical area in 1959. With the establishment of the standards in 1983, the number of metropolitan statistical areas increased dramatically, from 172 to 288, reflecting the rapid urbanization and development of surrounding areas.
The current Metropolitan Statistical Areas were designed by the CBSA in 2003 and require a minimum population of 10,000 to facilitate the definition and scope of micro-metropolitan areas.
Current situation in the metropolitan area
As of July 2023, there are 387 metropolitan statistical areas in the United States, covering all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These metropolitan areas each have unique demographic characteristics and economic activities, reflecting the diversity and changes in American society. The magnitude of growth and change in many metropolitan areas over time also highlights the evolution of the U.S. economic, cultural, and social structure.
Situation in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico also has its own metropolitan statistical areas, and the definitions and statistics of six of these MSAs have also attracted expert attention. This reflects a trend toward deepening socioeconomic ties within the United States and its territories.
ConclusionThe evolution of metropolitan statistical areas not only affects land use and urban planning, but more importantly, this change directly or indirectly changes our lives. How people find a place to settle down and pursue different goals in life in an urban environment are issues worthy of our deep consideration. As social structure continues to change, in which direction will our urban life develop?
