OMB proposes raising the minimum population for metropolitan ares to 100,000

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

I largely approve of this in order to declutter our absurdly high number of metropolitan areas as currently defined, but eliminating NECTA definitions is nonsensical unless the OMB is planning on inventing a tighter set of parameters to measure New England urban areas.

Since they are revisiting their definitional categories, I would also highly recommend the OMB join the rest of us in the 21st century and reclassify Maryland and Delaware (and DC) for the Census Bureau as no longer being Southern states.

Can we also split out the Midwest and Plains, I’m sick of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas cluttering up Midwest stats.

But they're Midwestern states,

Yes.

much as Maryland and Delaware are profoundly southern.

NO!

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

I largely approve of this in order to declutter our absurdly high number of metropolitan areas as currently defined, but eliminating NECTA definitions is nonsensical unless the OMB is planning on inventing a tighter set of parameters to measure New England urban areas.

Since they are revisiting their definitional categories, I would also highly recommend the OMB join the rest of us in the 21st century and reclassify Maryland and Delaware (and DC) for the Census Bureau as no longer being Southern states.

Can we also split out the Midwest and Plains, I’m sick of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas cluttering up Midwest stats.

But they're Midwestern states,

Yes.

Well, Midwest needs to mean something, and it traditionally was used as a replacement for the Northwest (as in Northwest Territory) once we got an actual northwest. It’s ok to throw in Iowa and maybe Missouri in because eastern Iowa and St. Louis are fairly well plugged into the old industrial heartland, but once your hitting Omaha and Kansas City, we are talking about an entirely different ecosystem from say Michigan. They really need their own word instead of using Midwest just mean anywhere flat without beaches.

I get your point, but that applies to every region. The idea that Colorado or Wyoming are "Western" seems a bit odd from the West Coast, and Key West has a somewhat different appearance than Bowling Green. Obviously there are subregions, but splitting America into the "big four" regions is going to inevitably result in awkward pairings. And as detached as Omaha may be from the Great Lakes, it certainly doesn't belong with any of the other three regions.

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

much as Maryland and Delaware are profoundly southern.

NO!

Why?

Because they're culturally, demographically, and geographically Northeastern. I mean, c'mon Delaware is mostly a suburb of Philadelphia. And DC and Baltimore are literally defining components of the Northeast Corridor. The South begins somewhere well into Virginia.