Important Federal Policy Alert

The federal government is considering changing the definitions of Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and Urban Area (UA). If enacted, these changes would modify the MSA definition to apply to areas 100,000 population or greater, up from 50,000.

The impact in Georgia would remove the MSA designation from the Georgia communities of Rome, Dalton, Albany, Brunswick, Valdosta, and Hinesville.

The Urban Area definition is proposed to lower the population threshold from 50,000 to 10,000.  Changes to the MSA and UA definitions would have impacts to federal funding allocations and make comparative demographic analysis between census years more difficult.

Summaries of these changes and information on how to comment are available at MSA Changes and Urban Area Changes. Please consider submitting a comment to weigh in on these changes and potential implications to our communities’ federal funding.