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Metropolitan Statistical Area |
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Friday, 17 November 2006 01:00 |
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A Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is a geographic entity defined by the federal Office of management and Budget for use by federal statistical agencies, based on the concept of a core area with a large population nucleus, plus adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that core. Qualification of an MSA requires the presence of a city with 50,000 or more inhabitants, or the presence of an Urbanized Area (UA) and a total population of at least 100,000 (75,000 in New England). The county or counties containing the largest city and surrounding densely settled territory are central counties of the MSA. |
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