Description

MIGMETRO1 indicates whether the respondent lived in a metropolitan area one year ago and, if so, whether they also resided within a central/principal city.

A metropolitan area is a region consisting of a large urban core together with surrounding communities that have a high degree of economic and social integration with the urban core. See METAREA for more information.

For the 1950 sample, MIGMETRO1 distinguishes central city status only if the central city/cities and the remainder of the metropolitan area each had 100,000+ residents in 1980, using the 1980 central city definitions.

For ACS and PRCS samples (2005 and later), IPUMS derives MIGMETRO1 codes based on Migration Public Use Microdata Areas (MIGPUMA1). If a respondent resided in a Migration PUMA that was only partially within a metropolitan area or central/principal city, MIGMETRO1 indicates a status of "indeterminable (mixed)."

In ACS and PRCS samples, Migration PUMAs are identified only for respondents who lived in a different residence 1 year ago. All other respondents are coded as "N/A" in MIGMETRO1.

Comparability

This variable is available only for the 1950 Census and 2005-onward ACS and PRCS samples. MIGMETRO5 provides analogous information for 1940 and 1960-2000, using a 5-year rather than a 1-year reference period.

Comparability across samples is limited by differences in the definitions of metropolitan areas:

• Codes for 1950 are based on 1950 Standard Metropolitan Areas

• Codes for 2005-2011 ACS and PRCS samples are based on 2000 Migration PUMAs and the 1999 OMB definitions of metropolitan areas and central cities (as are used by METAREA)

• Codes for 2012-2021 ACS and PRCS samples are based on 2010 Migration PUMAs and the 2013 OMB definitions of metropolitan areas and principal cities (as are used by MET2013)

• Codes for 2022-2031 ACS and PRCS samples are based on 2020 Migration PUMAs and the 2013 OMB definitions of metropolitan areas and principal cities (as are used by MET2013)

In multi-year ACS/PRCS samples that span different Migration PUMA definitions, this variable is based on whichever Migration PUMA definition is associated with the respondent's survey year (as given by MULTYEAR). This occurs only in the 2022 5-year samples and in multi-year samples that include both 2011 and 2012 survey years. For more information about how Migration PUMA definitions vary within multi-year samples, see the MIGPUMA1 variable description.

The term "Central City" was retired by the OMB in 2003 and replaced with the term "Principal City." The term was changed to alleviate confusion as "central city" can connote "inner city", but the OMB definitions do not capture that concept. The definition of "Principal City" was also broadened to include census designated places as well as incorporated places.

Note: New standards put in place for 2010 Migration PUMA definitions required that Migration PUMA boundaries follow county boundaries, which results in a great decrease in the portion of respondents that can be identified as having a prior residence within a principal city for 2012 and later samples.

Universe

Availability

• 2023: --
• 2022: --
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: ACS; ACS 3yr; ACS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2004: --
• 2003: --
• 2002: --
• 2001: --
• 2000: --
• 1990: --
• 1980: --
• 1970: --
• 1960: --
• 1950: 1%
• 1940: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2023: --
• 2022: --
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: PRCS; PRCS 3yr; PRCS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2000: --
• 1990: --
• 1980: --
• 1970: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

There is no editing procedure available for this variable.