ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the changing demographic dynamics and characteristics of United States metropolitan areas and subareas, and how they no longer conform to the patterns that existed when these metro categories were originally developed. It begins with an account of how the new 'South to North' immigration to selected port-of-entry metros is changing the context for metropolitan population dynamics by creating distinctions between different types of metro areas based on their metropolitan wide migration dynamics. The chapter also discusses the changing demographic distinctions emerging within metro areas, and how they are rendering the city-suburb distinction obsolete as a means of classifying demographically distinct populations. It examines the changing demographic characteristics of metropolitan and nonmetro areas in the context of the national settlement system and in light of the varied economic functions of nonmetro areas. The chapter summarizes the shifts and explains their implications for metropolitan classifications as a means of identifying areas with similar demographic dynamics and characteristics.
