Elements of Urbanism: West Palm Beach

[Keith-N-Jax]

Ormond Beach 1 hr 23 mins from Jax
Palm Coast 1 hr 4 mins from Jax
Gainesville 1 hr 21 mins from Jax.

Its a conspiracy,, 

[thelakelander]

Its really simple.

What are metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas?

Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas (metro and micro areas) are geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for use by Federal statistical agencies in collecting, tabulating, and publishing Federal statistics. The term "Core Based Statistical Area" (CBSA) is a collective term for both metro and micro areas. A metro area contains a core urban area of 50,000 or more population, and a micro area contains an urban core of at least 10,000 (but less than 50,000) population. Each metro or micro area consists of one or more counties and includes the counties containing the core urban area, as well as any adjacent counties that have a high degree of social and economic integration (as measured by commuting to work) with the urban core.

http://www.census.gov/population/www/metroareas/metroarea.html

It has little to do with actual mileage between certain cities.  WPB, Fort Lauderdale and Miami are considered apart of the same area because there is a high degree of social and economic integration (as measured by commuting to work) between the urban cores of these cities.  In other words, a large number of South Florida residents live in one city or county and commute to work in another.  Palm Beach, Ormond Beach and Gainesville are not apart of Jacksonville's MSA because there IS NOT a high degree of social and economic integration according to the federal government's cut off numbers for MSA classification.  Btw, the MSA down there is actually called Miamiâ€"Fort Lauderdaleâ€"Pompano Beach Metropolitan Area.  Miami just happens to be the largest of many decent sized municipalities in those three counties.

[Keith-N-Jax]

 

[ProjectMaximus]

What? You mean the bustling activity and high densities in Waldo, Starke, and Lawtey aren't enough to connect Gainesville and Jax!? 

[RiversideGator]

 

[AaroniusLives]

...a large number of South Florida residents live in one city or county and commute to work in another.  Palm Beach, Ormond Beach and Gainesville are not apart of Jacksonville's MSA because there IS NOT a high degree of social and economic integration according to the federal government's cut off numbers for MSA classification.  Btw, the MSA down there is actually called Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach Metropolitan Area.  Miami just happens to be the largest of many decent sized municipalities in those three counties.

Couldn't have said it better myself. This integration between the three counties is accelerated by the unique geography. In general, an MSA begins at a central core and radiates out in a circle; from the edge of Metro Atlanta to the other side takes forever, despite still being "Atlanta." South Florida is 120 miles long, but only around 15-20 miles wide. It's very dense and compact, even in the 'burbs.

I do wish that United States cities would follow the Jacksonville model and consolidate, however. I lived all over South Florida (well, at least Miami-Dade and Broward.) It's just stupid that I technically lived in another city in Broward County...and not a damned neighborhood of "Fort Lauderdale," for example. Y'all have it right in this aspect.

[braeburn]

I lived in Palm Beach for about a year, and while the island and downtown WPB is really nice, I'd rather Downtown WPB be in Jacksonville