New Counties in Charlotte's MSA

[DEnd]

Q: "What is the difference between a Yankee and a Damn Yankee?"

 

A: "A Yankee is a northerner who comes to the South to visit. A Damn Yankee comes to the South to stay."

 

I tell people I'm from up north, yep I moved to NC from Florida... (I have to explain that joke to a lot of people).   When I was a kid in the 80's most of the people moving to Charlotte were from the Carolinas, and a large number of people from West Virginia, the Joke then was they moved to Charlotte to keep from having to marry their siblings/cousins.  I figure West Virginia should have probably been in Charlottes MSA, or CSA back then as half it's population moved here.  These days we should probably include Buffalo, NY too. 

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Hmmm, I was unaware that a lot of NC transplants are from West Virginia. I knew about Ohio.

[jednc]

Hmmm, I was unaware that a lot of NC transplants are from West Virginia. I knew about Ohio.

Definitely both Ohio and West Virginia. Doesn't seem as common now as it was, but that's probably just due to even more people from many other places in the mix now.

Edit: purple = people

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Charlotte's MSA now abuts Winston-Salem's and Columbia's. As an aside, I wish Alamance County would get incorporated into Greensboro or Durham's MSA.

[jednc]

Charlotte's MSA now abuts Winston-Salem's and Columbia's. As an aside, I wish Alamance County would get incorporated into Greensboro or Durham's MSA.

Is there a map? Or a list of populations of MSAs using the 2013 estimates and the new delineations?

[rooster8]

The OMB has a breakdown of the MSA's, CSA's, etc.  

 

Alamance (actually Burlington) is its own MSA and is part of the Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point CSA

[DCMetroRaleigh]

It is interesting to see Union County's growth rate has slowed considerably. A few years ago, it was one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. Now, Cabarrus is matching its growth.  Could its poor congested roads be impeding growth in Union?

[Guest]

It is interesting to see Union County's growth rate has slowed considerably. A few years ago, it was one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. Now, Cabarrus is matching its growth.  Could its poor congested roads be impeding growth in Union?

No its because the Boom in Union County was about the prerecession economy, chugging along unimpeded. Now with price of gas, high unemployment and job insecurity, nobody wants to go buy a McMansion 40 min from work.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Ricky, if that is true, why has Caburrus County seen an uptick in population growth in the last couple of years?

[Eightane]

I would imagine that between Concord Mills, the racetrack and an interstate that gives access to many major metros in either direction, Cabarrus gets a tip for being more desirable.

[Sabaidee]

When Union County was booming, it lacked retails, and other cultural  amenities. It was trying to correct that problem but then the economy went south, and their property tax base was overwhelming residential so it wasn't as flexible compared to other metro counties, so the improvements for infrastructural and amenities lagged thus no longer desirable. Cabarrus has those amenities and infrastructures with a much easier access to Charlotte. 

[Missmylab4]

Gas and poor commute times, suburbia isn't as popular.

[kermit]

Union has some profound financial issues (huge debt) that Cabarrus does not. This limits their ability to build new schools and extend utilities Their unrelated moratorium on new development due to sewage capacity problems also stunted development at the end of the boom.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Does Union still have a moratorium on development?

[kermit]

^ I am not sure, I didn't keep track since it was a non-issue during the bust.

[krazeeboi]

Is there a map? Or a list of populations of MSAs using the 2013 estimates and the new delineations?

 

http://www.census.gov/popest/data/maps/12maps.html#metro

 

http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/index.html

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Using the 2013 MSA definition, Charlotte MSA grew by 499,640 people from 2000 to 2010.  As such,Metro Charlotte grew by 2/3 of Metro Akron's entire pop.

[cltbwimob]

I did some more research today just to answer some curiosities lingering after the release of MSA data this year.  I found that Anson is no longer a part of the MSA because it's in-commuting percentage is just over 22% and no longer meets the requisite 25%.  Anson would have needed approximately 270-300 more people flowing to the central counties in Charlotte's MSA in order to be counted.  I also found that Chesterfield County, SC could have been part of the CSA if it was considered a Micropolitain Statistical Area, yet neither Cheraw nor Pageland meet the "urban" requirements set forth to define Micropolitain Statistical Areas.  Finally, I realized that in order for the Unifour and Charlotte MSAs to form into a large CSA, the commuter flows into Charlotte's MSA would have to double.  Currently, just over 12k people commute from the Unifour counties (Catawba, Burke, Alexander, Caldwell) bringing the commuter flow in the Charlotte MSA to approximately 7.5%, meaning that 24k would be needed for the 2 MSA's could combine into one CSA.  Catawba and Alexander come close to meeting the 15% threshold, 11.7% and 14% in-commuting respectively. However, Burke and Caldwell have extremely low commuter ties to Charlotte's MSA preventing the Unifour from becoming part of the Charlotte CSA.

[tozmervo]

I've never heard the term "Unifour" - where does that come from/

[kermit]

I believe that it is the Hickory equivalent of our "metrolina." It simply refers to the four counties (Caldwell, Burke, Catawba and Alexander) acting as a single unit. For many years I assumed it was a significant word in the Catawba or Cherokee language.....

 

I am not local to that area so take this for what its worth.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

What is the requirement/definition for Micropolitan Status? Whatever it is, Burlington has it.

[jednc]

I believe that it is the Hickory equivalent of our "metrolina." It simply refers to the four counties (Caldwell, Burke, Catawba and Alexander) acting as a single unit. For many years I assumed it was a significant word in the Catawba or Cherokee language.....

 

I am not local to that area so take this for what its worth.

I am a native of Burke Co. The Unifour name has been around as far back as I can remember. It does in fact refer to the four counties that make up the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA. I really have no idea where the word originated, I just always assumed it was made up to connote the four counties were unified as one larger area. Kermit...did you really think this was an Indian word?

[kermit]

 Kermit...did you really think this was an Indian word?

 

honestly, yes I did .

 

It never occurred to me to break down the word until recently.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

The fastest MSA growers due to the addition of counties were New York, Charlotte, Grand Rapids, and Indianapolis.  New York had a 670,000 increase in its metropolitan population, resulting from the addition of Dutchess and Orange counties. New counties  increased the population of the Charlotte metropolitan area by 459,000, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area by 215,000 and Indianapolis by 132,000. The largest percentage gains were in Grand Rapids (28%) and Charlotte (26%).

[Urbanity]

The fastest MSA growers due to the addition of counties were New York, Charlotte, Grand Rapids, and Indianapolis.  New York had a 670,000 increase in its metropolitan population, .

Two things struck me on this part of what you wrote -

1. You know you been in Charlotte awhile when  the first time you read the above you start thinking York County is called actually New York County - I never realized that...

 

2. Holy Hell NYC's MSA just grew the size of a city!