Maps for Stormwater Management in Phase II MS4 Permits for Urban Regions
For those seeking population and map data for urban areas in the United States with a population of 50,000 or more, there are several reliable resources available. These areas are classified as Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) [1].
Census Bureau Databases
The U.S. Census Bureau offers comprehensive demographic and geographic data. You can find population counts and distribution down to various geographic levels, including census tracts, ZIP codes, cities, and metropolitan areas. The Census Bureau’s website, data.census.gov, is a primary source for these statistics and maps [2].
PolicyMap
PolicyMap is another accessible platform for interactive maps and demographic data at urban area levels. It features thousands of indicators for U.S. communities, including population data sourced from the Census Bureau and other federal agencies. Users can view demographic, socio-economic, and geographic data at multiple levels, including metropolitan and urban areas [3].
ICPSR Data Archives
For specialized research, the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) provides detailed raw social science data sets, which may include urban population figures and associated geographic information. However, access requires an account and may be more suitable for advanced research needs [3].
Urbanized Area Reference Maps
The Census 2010 Urban Area Reference Maps can be found on a specific website. The urbanized area folders contain a series of Portable Document Format (PDF) files. The first PDF in each folder contains a reference map and additional detailed maps. Some smaller urbanized areas contain only one map in their folder [2].
On the reference maps, urbanized areas and urban clusters appear in green. Urbanized areas are labeled in regular font, while urban clusters are slightly italicized [2]. The original Geographic Information System (GIS) shapefiles used to generate the maps can be downloaded from the Census 2010 Urban Area website under "boundaries and shapefiles".
These resources provide comprehensive access to both the population counts and detailed maps of U.S. urban areas of 50,000+ population as of the 2020 census.
- In the field of environmental science, studying climate change could involve examining the impact of industrial energy consumption on the water resources in these urban areas.
- To secure funding for such research, researchers may turn to financial institutions recognizing the importance of water conservation efforts in urban areas and the role of science in these initiatives.
- By leveraging PolicyMap's platform, research in the environmental science and finance industries could be strengthened through understanding the socio-economic implications of environmental policies within urban areas.
