The CBSA-District free data file from IP2Location helps businesses, analysts, and developers map U.S. geographic districts to Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA) codes for regional analysis and location-based applications. So, what is a CBSA?
What is a CBSA #
A Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA) is a geographic entity defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that consists of one or more counties anchored by an urban center. CBSAs include surrounding adjacent communities that maintain a high degree of economic and social integration with the central core, primarily measured through commuting patterns.
CBSAs are categorized into two primary types:
- Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA): Centered around an urbanized area with a population of at least 50,000.
- Micropolitan Statistical Areas: Centered around an urban cluster with a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000.
Each CBSA is identified by a unique 5-digit code.
Why Use CBSA Mapping #
Mapping geographic districts and counties to CBSA codes allows businesses, analysts, and developers to analyze regional market dynamics beyond standard political or administrative boundaries.
Key applications include:
- Targeted Regional Marketing: Group customer bases by economic metro areas rather than strict state lines to optimize localized ad delivery.
- Market Research & Analytics: Evaluate demographic trends, economic health, and workforce density across urban hubs.
- Supply Chain & Logistics: Optimize distribution routes and service areas based on connected regional trade zones.
The IP2Location CBSA to District Data File #
The IP2Location CBSA to District data file provides a lightweight lookup mapping state and county/district names directly to official 5-digit CBSA codes.
Database Schema Structure #
The dataset consists of four concise fields:
| Field Name | Data Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| country_code | VARCHAR(2) | Two-letter ISO country code. | US |
| region_name | VARCHAR(128) | State or primary administrative subdivision name. | California |
| district | VARCHAR(128) | County or district name. | Los Angeles County |
| cbsa_code | VARCHAR(5) | 5-digit Core-Based Statistical Area code. | 31080 |
Note: The dataset only includes records that contain valid, assigned CBSA codes.
How to Integrate and Query the Data #
1. Database Table Creation (MySQL) #
You can import the dataset into a relational database like MySQL using the standard schema definition:
CREATE TABLE `ip2location_cbsa_district`(
`country_code` CHAR(2),
`region_name` VARCHAR(128),
`district` VARCHAR(128),
`cbsa_code` VARCHAR(64),
INDEX `idx_cc` (`country_code`),
INDEX `idx_cbsa` (`cbsa_code`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_bin;
LOAD DATA LOCAL
INFILE 'IP2LOCATION-CBSA-DISTRICT.CSV' INTO TABLE `ip2location_cbsa_district`
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
ENCLOSED BY '"'
LINES TERMINATED BY '\r\n' IGNORE 1 LINES;2. Querying CBSA Codes #
After importing the CSV dataset into your database, you can query the CBSA code using state and district values:
SELECT cbsa_code
FROM ip2location_cbsa_district
WHERE country_code = 'US'
AND region_name = 'California'
AND district = 'Los Angeles County';
3. Integration with IP Geolocation #
By pairing this dataset with IP geolocation data such as IP2Location IP Geolocation BIN database, you can resolve an incoming visitor’s IP address to their region and district, and instantly map them to a CBSA code for enhanced regional targeting and business intelligence.
Conclusion #
The IP2Location CBSA-District free data file provides a simple way to enrich geographic data with standardized U.S. CBSA codes for regional analysis and location-based applications.
Download the dataset for free from the IP2Location CBSA-District Data page and explore how CBSA mapping can support your data projects.
