1. Rural Statistical Areas: A Rural-Centric Approach to Defining Geographic Areas Michael Ratcliffe Geography Division U.S. Census Bureau COPAFS Quarterly Meeting December 2, 2011

2. What Are Rural Statistical Areas? A set of geographic areas defined using counties, county subdivisions, and/or census tracts as building blocks. Defined as part of a 3-year joint research project between the Census Bureau and the State Data Centers to tabulate and analyze ACS 1-year estimates for areas of 65,000 or more people. Goal was to create rural, or predominantly rural, sub- state areas of 65,000 or more people. Initial delineation focused on county-based areas. As the joint research project progressed, county subdivisions and census tracts also were used to define areas.

3. RSA Delineation Process State Data Center Steering Committee provided the initial concept– county groupings of 65,000 or more; focus on rural counties; counties of 65,000 or more people would be “standalone” RSAs. Geography Division used the USDA’s Urban Influence Codes to classify counties. Created an “aggregation net” to create initial grouping of counties, then modified interactively. SDCs reviewed and made additional changes. SDCs made additional changes to boundaries and building blocks as the 3-year joint project progressed.

4. 4 Urban Influence Codes (UICs) Metropolitan Counties 1In Large Metro Area with Population > 1 million 2In Small Metro Area with Population < 1 million Non-Metropolitan Counties 3Micropolitan Adjacent to Large Metro Area 4Noncore Adjacent to Large Metro Area 5Micropolitan Adjacent to Small Metro Area 6Noncore Adjacent to Small Metro Area, with own town 7Noncore Adjacent to Small Metro Area, without own town 8Micropolitan NOT Adjacent to Metro Area 9Noncore Adjacent to Micropolitan Area, with own town 10Noncore Adjacent to Micropolitan Area, without own town 11Noncore NOT Adjacent to Metro or Micropolitan Area, with own town 12Noncore NOT Adjacent to Metro or Micropolitan Area, without own town

5. 5 Urban Influence Codes for Counties With Population Less Than 65,000

6. 6

7. 7 Problems Arising With Initial Aggregation County with UIC 8-12 completely surrounded by counties with different UICs Solution: aggregate county with other non-stand-alone counties

8. 8 Problems Arising With Initial Aggregation Completely surrounded by stand-alone counties Solution: aggregate with contiguous stand-alone county

9. 9 Problems Arising with Initial Aggregation Total population of aggregated counties within net is below 65,000 Solution: combine areas across aggregation polygons 89,712 8,549 3,600 31,953 1 – 2 (Metropolitan) 3 – 4 (Adjacent to Large Metro) 5 – 7 (Adjacent to Small Metro) 8 – 12 (Not Adjacent to Metro) Stand Alone County Aggregation Net

10. 10 Rural Statistical Areas All Counties Included

11. Rural Statistical Areas: Alaska

12. Rural Statistical Areas: Hawaii

13. North Dakota RSAs

14. Oregon RSAs—2009 Proposal

15. Vermont Planning Regions– suggested as potential RSAs

16. Questions and thoughts that arose during the joint research project: Should RSAs be contiguous? –It might be valuable to define multiple, noncontiguous micropolitan statistical areas as a single RSA, separate from surrounding Outside CBSA counties –“Rural” counties with similar demographic characteristics may not be contiguous, but for analytical purposes should be in the same RSA Can a variety of building blocks be used to form RSAs? –Group counties, county subdivisions, and census tracts, as appropriate, to form meaningful areas Should counties of 130,000+ population be split into multiple areas?

17. Next Steps The State Data Center Steering Committee has requested that the Census Bureau adopt RSAs as a standard tabulation geography Review concept more widely within Census Bureau Prepare Federal Register notice with proposal for comment Think of a better term for these areas since some are obviously urban or predominantly urban

18. Thanks! Comments, questions: Michael Ratcliffe Geography Division Census Bureau 301-763-8977 michael.r.ratcliffe@census.gov