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     Outlying counties in metropolitan statistical areas grew faster than central counties between 2000 and 2007, according to a Census Bureau report released today. These outlying counties saw their population increase 13 percent, compared with an 8 percent increase for the central counties of metro areas. Metro area central and outlying counties both grew faster than the remainder of the nation (2 percent).

     The report, Population Change in Central and Outlying Counties of Metropolitan Statistical Areas: 2000 to 2007 [PDF], provides an analysis of population change and demographic components of change over the period. Central counties contain all or a substantial portion of the core urban area of the metro area. Metro areas may also contain outlying counties: adjacent counties that have a high degree of social and economic integration (as measured by commuting to work) with the central counties. The population change in central and outlying counties is examined by region, division and metro area population size category.

     More than 80 percent, or 252 million, of the nation's population live in metro areas. About 92 percent of these people live in central counties.

     The report shows that outlying counties grew faster in the South (17 percent) than in any other region. The percentage-point difference in growth between the South's outlying and central counties (which grew by 11 percent) was the largest among the four regions. Besides the South, outlying counties also grew faster than central counties in the Midwest and West.

Other highlights:

• Outlying counties as a whole grew more through net migration than through natural increase (defined as births minus deaths). Nationwide, the average annual rate of net migration for outlying counties was 12.5 per 1,000 population compared to a 4.8 per 1,000 average annual rate of natural increase. Central counties followed the opposite pattern, with a larger proportion of their growth attributable to natural increase (6.6 per 1,000) than to net migration (3.6 per 1,000).
• Outlying counties grew faster than central counties in each of the three most populous metro area size categories -- including those metro areas with April 1, 2000, total populations of 5 million or more, those between 2.5 million and 5 million, and those between 1 million and 2.5 million in population -- as well as in metro areas with populations between 250,000 and 500,000.
• Among the nation's nine census divisions, the Mountain Division (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) experienced the highest percentage growth in its metro area population at 20 percent.