what is a metropolitan statistical area msa 
metropolitan statistical areas msa are delineated by the u s office of management and budget omb as having at least one urbanized area with a minimum population of 50 000 1understanding metropolitan statistical areas msa a metropolitan statistical area msa formerly known as a standard metropolitan statistical area smsa is the formal definition of a region that consists of a city and surrounding communities that are linked by social and economic factors as established by the u s office of management and budget omb 1metropolitan statistical areas serve to group counties and cities into specific geographic areas for population censuses and compilations of related statistical data modern msas are configured to represent contiguous geographic areas with a relatively high density of human population metropolitan statistical areas usually consist of a core city with a large population and its surrounding region which may include several adjacent counties the area defined by the msa is typically marked by significant social and economic interaction people living in outlying rural areas for example may commute considerable distances to work shop or attend social activities in the urban center 1as of march 6 2020 latest information per the omb bulletin no 20 1 there are 392 regions that meet the requirements to be designated as metropolitan statistical areas msa in the u s and puerto rico 384 in the united states and eight in puerto rico 2in contrast to micropolitan statistical areas which center on towns and smaller communities with populations between 10 000 50 000 msas must include a city with a population of at least 50 000 1some msas such as dallas fort worth arlington contain multiple cities with populations exceeding 50 000 the most populous msa in the country new york newark jersey city spans portions of three adjacent states new york new jersey and pennsylvania 34msa data usesthe bureau of labor statistics bls uses msa data to analyze labor market conditions within a geographical area within a metropolitan statistical area workers can presumably change jobs without having to move to a new location creating a relatively stable labor force 5statistical data about msas also helps government officials and businesses review information about per capita income spending patterns and unemployment rates the resulting data can be used to formulate policies designed to stimulate economic growth in the region for example the atlanta sandy springs alpharetta metropolitan statistical area exerts a significant influence on the economic health of the region it is the most populous area of georgia companies seeking to relocate or establish new companies in the atlanta sandy springs alpharetta region can use statistical data about the area to project the viability of their intended business 4real estate investors also use msa data to study housing trends and population movement in addition applicants for certain social services may need to prove income levels below a fixed percentage of the median gross income in their metropolitan statistical area to qualify for help including low income housing and other forms of support 