.. tools and data to examine how the U.S. by metro population is changing. Is the population moving away or into metros of interest? What are the trends; what is causing the change? What are the characteristics of the population moving in and out? How might this impact your living environment and business?
This section provides information on how and why the population is changing by metro from 2010 to 2016 in terms of components of change: births, deaths and migration. It provides a summary of tools, interactive table and GIS project, to analyze population change by metro using latest Census Bureau estimates through 2016. These data are used by ProximityOne to develop/update annual demographic-economic projections. See related Web page to access full interactive table and more detail.
Patterns of Population Change by Metro, 2010-2016
The following graphic shows how metros (MSAs – Metropolitan Statisticsl Areas) changed from 2010 to 2016 based on percent population change. Click graphic for larger view; expand browser window for best quality view.
.. view developed with ProximityOne CV XE GIS and related GIS project.
Narrative Analysis of Metro Demographic Change in Context
A narrative summary and analysis of metro demographic characteristics and change, contextually with other data and geography, is provided for each metro in the Situation & Outlook Reports. See more about the wide-ranging subject matter that are knitted together in the schedule of updates. Examine metro dynamics in context of the U.S. overall and related states and counties.
The nation’s 382 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) had a population of 277.1 million in 2016 (86% of the total population). MSAs increased by 2.3 million people from 2015. The nation’s 551 Micropolitan Statistical Areas (MISAs) had a population of 27.7 million in 2016 (9% of the total population). MISAs increased by 16,000 people from 2015. See more highlights below
MSAs and MISAs together, or metro areas, comprised the set of Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Each metro/CBSA is defined as a set of one or more contiguous counties.
Related Sections
• Metros Main
• Situation & Outlook Reports
• City/Place Population Trends
• County Population Trends
• County Population Projections to 2060
• ProximityOne Data Service
Examining Population Components of Change
Population change can be examined in terms of components of change. There are three components of change: births, deaths, and migration. The change in the population from births and deaths is often combined and referred to as natural increase or natural change. Populations grow or shrink depending on if they gain people faster than they lose them. Examining a county’s unique combination of natural change and migration provides insights into why its population is changing and how quickly the change is occurring.
See more about these topics below:
• Natural Increase/Change; birth & deaths
• Migration; net international, net domestic, net migration
Using the Interactive Table – Peer Group Analysis
Use the full interactive table to examine U.S. national scope metros by population and components of change. Consider an application where you want to study metros having a 2016 population between 250,000 and 300,000. Use the tools below the interactive table to select these metros as illustrated in the graphic shown below. The graphic shows these metros ranked on the overall U.S. metro rank (percent population change 2010-2016). As shown in the graphic, the Greeley, CO metro was ranked 11th among all metros and the fastest growing metro in this group. Use the tools/buttons below the table to create custom views.
Click graphic for larger view.
Join me in a Data Analytics Lab session to discuss more details about accessing and using wide-ranging demographic-economic data and data analytics. Learn more about using these data for areas and applications of interest.
About the Author
— Warren Glimpse is former senior Census Bureau statistician responsible for innovative data access and use operations. He is also the former associate director of the U.S. Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards for data access and use. He has more than 20 years of experience in the private sector developing data resources and tools for integration and analysis of geographic, demographic, economic and business data. Contact Warren. Join Warren on LinkedIn.
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