Urban-Rural Classification: Identifying a System Suitable for Transit David Ripplinger Natalie Beck Jill Hough, Ph.D. Small Urban & Rural Transit Center Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute North Dakota State University September 2008 Acknowledgement This research was sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration, United States Department of Transportation, and conducted by the Small Urban & Rural Transit Center within the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute at North Dakota State University. Contributors to the preparation of this document include David Ripplinger, Natalie Beck, Jill Hough, and the Small Urban & Rural Transit Center Advisory Board. The guidance of Jill Hough of the Center and Henry Nejako, FTA Project Manager for the project, are also acknowledged. Disclaimer The contents presented in this report are the sole responsibility of the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute and the author. North Dakota State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam Era Veterans status, sexual orientation, marital status or public assistance status. Direct inquiries to the Executive Director and Chief Diversity Officer, 202 Old Main, (701) 231- 7708. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 The Research Problem ................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Study Objective .............................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Report Organization ....................................................................................................... 1 2. Urban-Rural Classification Systems ....................................................................................... 3 2.1 Classification System Characteristics and Cautions on Use .......................................... 3 2.2 Commonly Used Urban-Rural Classification Systems .................................................. 4 2.2.1. Metropolitan Statistical Areas ............................................................................ 4 2.2.2. Urbanized Area, Urban Cluster and Rural ......................................................... 5 2.2.3. Rural-Urban Continuum .................................................................................... 6 2.2.4. Urban Influence .................................................................................................. 7 2.2.5. Rural-Urban Commuting Areas ......................................................................... 8 2.3 Urban-Rural Classifications to Mobility Needs and Services ...................................... 10 3. A New Urban Population-Rural Density Classification System .......................................... 11 4. Upper Great Plains and Transit Service ................................................................................ 13 4.1 Demographic and Geographic Data ............................................................................. 13 4.1.1. Urbanized Areas/Urban Clusters ...................................................................... 13 4.1.2. Metropolitan Areas .......................................................................................... 15 4.1.3. Urban Population Code .................................................................................... 16 4.1.4. Rural Density Code .......................................................................................... 17 4.2 Transportation Service ................................................................................................. 18 4.2.1. Fixed-Route ...................................................................................................... 19 4.2.2. Demand Response ............................................................................................ 20 4.2.3. Intercity Bus ..................................................................................................... 22 5. Measures of Association ....................................................................................................... 25 5.1 Pearson’s Chi-square test ............................................................................................. 25 5.2 Kendall’s Tau-b............................................................................................................ 26 6. Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 27 7. References............................................................................................................................. 29 LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Census 2000 Area Definitions ....................................................................................... 5 Table 2.2 2003 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes ............................................................................ 6 Table 2.3 2003 Urban Influence Continuum Codes ...................................................................... 7 Table 2.4 Rural-Urban Commuting Area Codes ........................................................................... 9 Table 3.1 Urban Population-Numeric Classification ................................................................... 11 Table 3.2 Rural Density-Alphabetic Classification ..................................................................... 12 Table 3.3 Classification Example Table ...................................................................................... 12 Table 4.1 Urban and Rural Population by State .......................................................................... 14 Table 4.2 Urban and Rural Area by State .................................................................................... 14 Table 4.3 Number of Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Counties by State ............................ 15 Table 4.4 Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Population by State ........................................... 15 Table 4.5 Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Area by State ..................................................... 16 Table 4.6 Population by Urban Code by State ............................................................................ 17 Table 4.7 Area by Urban Code by State ...................................................................................... 17 Table 4.8 Population by Rural Code by State.............................................................................. 18 Table 4.9 Area by Rural Code by State ....................................................................................... 18 Table 4.10 Fixed-Route Service by Metropolitan County ............................................................. 19 Table 4.11 Fixed-Route Service by Urban County Code .............................................................. 19 Table 4.12 Fixed-Route Service v. Rural County Code ................................................................ 20 Table 4.13 Demand Response v. Metropolitan County ................................................................. 21 Table 4.14 Demand Response v. Urban County Code .................................................................. 21 Table 4.15 Demand Response v. Rural County Code ................................................................... 21 Table 4.16 Intercity Bus v. Metropolitan County .......................................................................... 22 Table 4.17 Intercity Bus v. Urban County Code ........................................................................... 22 Table 4.18 Intercity Bus v. Rural County Code ............................................................................ 23 Table 5.1 Chi-square Test Results ............................................................................................... 25 Table 5.2 Kendall’s Tau-B Results .............................................................................................. 26 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Metropolitan Counties ................................................................................................. 4 Figure 2.2 Urban Clusters and Urbanized Areas ........................................................................... 5 Figure 2.3 Rural Urban Continuum Codes .................................................................................... 6 Figure 2.4 Urban Influence Codes ................................................................................................ 8 Figure 4.1 Urban Clusters and Urbanized Areas ......................................................................... 13 Figure 4.2 Metropolitan Counties ............................................................................................... 15 Figure 4.3 Urban Areas ............................................................................................................... 16 Figure 4.4 Rural Counties ........................................................................................................... 17 Figure 4.5 Counties with Fixed-Route Service ........................................................................... 19 Figure 4.6 Counties with Demand-Response Service ................................................................. 20 Figure 4.7 Counties with Intercity Bus Service .......................................................................... 22 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In