The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has instituted its decennial changes to the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) definitions. The new definitions, as always, reflect transitions in the 'commuting to work' patterns and regional population densities at the MSA level. The proposed changes are generally published during the third year following the most recent census. The introduction of the new definitions follows a schedule of revision, which typically lasts about one year, and adoption, typically in the first quarter of the following year, in this case, 2005.

The list of changes represents a comprehensive revision of terminology and geography. Most importantly, certain MSA's are now comprised of more counties (e.g. Atlanta) when compared to the old definitions while others (e.g. Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill MSA split to Raleigh and Durham MSA's) now represent more msa's than previously, while still others (e.g. Cleveland) have fewer counties.

While Reis has always taken Census metro definitions and their changes into account, a Reis metro area designation is determined primarily by commercial, industrial and apartment property densities rather than regional population densities and commuting patterns. Given these objectives, OMB's current changes can play a part in our ongoing assessment of metro designations, but our boundaries will continue to defer primarily to actual property densities. To accomplish this, we use Economy.com economic and demographic data that is reaggregated to fit our designations and re-published in our reports. For a more detailed explanation of the law and definitional changes from OMB see: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy04/b04-03.html