On Saturday, the Associated Press reported that as many as 144 cities are at risk to be downgraded in status from “metropolitan” statistical areas to “micropolitan” statistical areas. The adjustment could affect over a third of the current communities with the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) status and some worry how it will impact future funding decisions.
The report comes as many people begin to move out of cities for surrounding suburbs or small towns in an upsurge of teleworking during the coronavirus pandemic. According to The Hill, many city governments initiated focused efforts to get citizens to respond to the 2020 census, “as city officials around the country feared undercounted figures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues could lead to some areas losing much-needed federal funding. Some state-level officials mounted similar campaigns, most notably in California where officials spend nearly $190 million urging state residents to respond to the census.”
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