README for “Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present” dataset. U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), United States Census Bureau (USCB); U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) [distributor] 2025-05-29 ---------------------------------------------------------------- LINKS TO DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1520828 B. NTAD catalog dataset link (Current Year): https://doi.org/10.21949/1522034 ---------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY OF DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present dataset is from the United States Census Bureau (USCB), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics’s (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The TIGER/Line shapefiles and related database files (.dbf) are an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File / Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database (MTDB). The MTDB represents a seamless national file with no overlaps or gaps between parts, however, each TIGER/Line shapefile is designed to stand alone as an independent data set, or they can be combined to cover the entire nation. Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas are together termed Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) and are defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and consist of the county or counties or equivalent entities associated with at least one urban core (urbanized area or urban cluster) of at least 10,000 population, plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured through commuting ties with the counties containing the core. Categories of CBSAs are: Metropolitan Statistical Areas, based on urbanized areas of 50,000 or more population; and Micropolitan Statistical Areas, based on urban clusters of at least 10,000 population but less than 50,000 population. The CBSA boundaries are those defined by OMB based on the Census. ---------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. General Information B. Sharing/Access & Policies Information C. Data and Related File Overview D. Methodological Information E. Data-Specific Information for: Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present [datasets] F. Update Log ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. GENERAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Title of Dataset: Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present [dataset] 1. Description of Dataset: The Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present dataset is from the United States Census Bureau (USCB), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The TIGER/Line shapefiles and related database files (.dbf) are an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File / Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database (MTDB). The MTDB represents a seamless national file with no overlaps or gaps between parts, however, each TIGER/Line shapefile is designed to stand alone as an independent data set, or they can be combined to cover the entire nation. Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas are together termed Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) and are defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and consist of the county or counties or equivalent entities associated with at least one urban core (urbanized area or urban cluster) of at least 10,000 population, plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured through commuting ties with the counties containing the core. Categories of CBSAs are: Metropolitan Statistical Areas, based on urbanized areas of 50,000 or more population; and Micropolitan Statistical Areas, based on urban clusters of at least 10,000 population but less than 50,000 population. The CBSA boundaries are those defined by OMB based on the Census. 2. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1520828 3. Authorship Information: Principal Data Creator or Data Manager Contact Information Institution: U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), United States Census Bureau (USCB) Address: 4600 Silver Hill Rd., Washington D.C. 20233 Contact: geo.bas@census.gov/geo.geography@census.gov Data Distributor Contact Information Name: National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD) Institution: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of Spatial Analysis and Visualization (OSAV) Address: 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington D.C. 20590 Email: ntad@dot.gov 4. Date of data collection and update interval: This dataset is updated annually. 5. Geographic location of data collection: United States of America 6. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: United States Census Bureau (USCB), U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) ---------------------------------------------------------------- B. SHARING/ACCESS & POLICIES INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Recommended citation for the data: U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), United States Census Bureau (USCB), U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) [distributor]. Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present [datasets]. https://doi.org/10.21949/1520828 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: These data are in the Public Domain. 2. Was data derived from another source?: No. 3.This document was created to meet the requirements enumerated in the U.S. Department of Transportation's 'Plan to Increase Public Access to the Results of Federally-Funded Scientific Research' Version 1.1 << https://doi.org/10.21949/1520559 >> and guidelines suggested by the DOT Public Access website << https://doi.org/10.21949/1503647 >>, in effect and current as of December 03, 2020. ---------------------------------------------------------------- C. DATA & RELATED FILE OVERVIEW ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. File List for the Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present dataset A. Filename: Core_Based_Statistical_Areas_NTAD2008_Present.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present dataset. File folders are classified by NTAD publication year and data vintage year or date respectively. B. Filename: bts_NTAD_CBSA_DMP_20250529.pdf Short description: A PDF file containing the Data Management Plan that was created for current and future management of the data and associated files. C. Filename: bts_NTAD_CBSA_README_20250529.txt Short description: The README.txt file that includes human-readable information about the data, variable definitions, contact information, and other contextual information. The file you are reading now. 2. File List for the Core_Based_Statistical_Areas_NTAD2008_NTADPresent.zip collection. A. Filename: NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_CBSA_XXXX*.zip or NTADXXXX_GDB_Final_CBSA_XXXX_XX_XX.gdb.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present dataset. File folders are classified by NTAD publication year and data vintage date respectively. 3. File List for the NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_CBSA_XXXX*.zip collection. A. Filename: cbsa.shp Short description: A shapefile containing the geospatial data for Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) 2008-Present dataset. This includes associated files with extensions .prj, .dbf, .sbn, .sbx, .shx. B. Filename: cbsa.txt, cbsa.htm, and cbsa.shp.xml Short description: Text files containing key metadata and documentation information such as methodology, procedures, data dictionary, etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------- D. METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: TIGER/Line Shapefiles are extracted from the Census MAF/TIGER database by nation, state, county, and entity. Census MAF/TIGER data for all of the aforementioned geographic entities are then distributed among the shapefiles each containing attributes for line, polygon, or landmark geographic data. 2. Instrument- or software-specific information needed to interpret the data: The data and documentation files can be opened with Esri ArcMap and any GIS software package. ---------------------------------------------------------------- E. DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA) data table This dataset is updated annually. Dataset Manager is contacted to verify changes to data resulting in NTAD update. The metadata is updated in the same manner. For the most recent data, please visit the NTAD catalog at https://doi.org/10.21949/1522034 A. Number of variables (columns): The data dictionary found in (PDF documentation) provides definitions for the variables B. Data Dictionary/Variable List: Because of the large number of variables, please refer to the Data Dictionary found within the file CBSA.txt for names, definitions, and formats of variables. C. Missing data codes: None ---------------------------------------------------------------- F. UPDATE LOG ---------------------------------------------------------------- This bts_CBSA_20250529_README.txt file was originally created on 2021-02-24 by Dominic Menegus, Geographer, dominic.menegus@dot.gov [Note changes or update to the readme.txt file, e.g.:] 2021-02-24: Original file created 2025-05-29: Revised document, including data descriptions and file organization.