National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C.      Vol. 32, No. 20 * November 6, 2000

---

Previous story | Table of Contents | Next story

Could ‘rural’ disappear? New data
definitions would squeeze rural areas

By Eric J. Ciliberti
associate legislative director

---

Chris Sheppis, of the National Farmers Union, discusses the impact of new population categories on rural communities during a meeting of the Rural Action Network hosted by NACo. Also pictured is Matt Chase of the National Association of Development Organizations. More than a dozen representatives from rural-affiliated groups attended the meeting late last month.

No. of Counties Current Classification

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) accepted final comments last month on proposed changes to the Metropolitan Areas Standards. These standards currently define metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, i.e. urban and rural respectively, and are used by the U.S. Congress in numerous funding formulas for areas based on population size.

The new classifications, if implemented, would be “metropolitan,” “micropolitan” and “outside core-based statistical area.”

Through the new definitions proposed by OMB, more than 600 rural counties would shift from non-metropolitan to metropolitan status. Many of them stand to loose funding under the new classification, since federal grant formulas for programs in education and housing rely on metro/non-metro status for funding distribution.

“The new standards would place an emphasis on commuting patterns to rural areas making an area’s population partially dependent on where people work rather than where they live,” says Colleen Landkamer, chair of the Rural Action Caucus.

No. of Counties New Classification

Landkamer also cites statistics from the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) based in Columbia, Mo., which show that rural America stands to loose 60 percent of its population, 27 percent of its counties, and 23 percent of its land under the new classifications under the reclassification.

The changes would affect rural counties’ ability to qualify for specific rural funding programs, yet also loose out on other program funding that is based solely on the basis of population numbers.

Officials at the OMB have closed the comment period for individuals and organizations to speak out on the proposed regulations. A report on the final version of the regulations is due in January 2001, while exact implementation of the regulations will take place in early 2003.

The NACo Rural Action Caucus will be watching these developments carefully throughout the next several months and will be ready to work with the Congress if the effects damage the vitality and integrity of rural county governments.