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 character specified in the standards include required levels for the county’s (1) population density; (2) percentage of population that is classified as urban; (3) percentage growth in population between the previous two decennial censuses; and (4) percentage of, or absolute number of, inhabitants within the UA that qualifies the MSA. Qualification of outlying cities and towns in New England is based on commuting and population density.

An area that meets the requirements for recognition as an MSA and also has a population of one million or more may be recognized as a CMSA if (1) separate component areas can be identified within the entire area by their meeting population and commuting criteria specified in the standards, and (2) local opinion indicates there is support for the component areas. If recognized, the component areas are designated PMSAs (and the entire area becomes a CMSA). If no PMSAs are recognized, the entire area is designated an MSA. (PMSAs, like the CMSAs that contain them, are composed of counties outside New England and cities and towns within New England.)

NECMAs are county-based alternatives to the city- and town-based MAs in New England. The NECMA for an MSA or CMSA includes (1) the county containing the first-named city in that MSA/CMSA (this county in some cases includes the first-named cities of other MSA(s)/CMSA(s) as well), and (2) each additional county having at least half its population in the MSA(s)/CMSA(s). NECMAs are not defined for individual PMSAs.

MSAs, PMSAs, and NECMAs are categorized in one of the following levels based on total population: CMSAs, by definition, have populations of 1 million or more. Metropolitan Areas13-7