Burr Introduces Amendment to Improve Accuracy of Economic Statistics for Brunswick County and Wilmington Area

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Burr (R-NC) recently introduced an amendment to the Commerce, Science, and Justice Appropriations Act that will require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to accurately measure the economy and population of the Wilmington area. Under current guidelines, the residents of Brunswick County are included in the same Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This practice understates the size of North Carolina’s economy and hurts economic development in the region. Business frequently use this data to evaluate potential new markets and analyze the workforce.

“All of these folks live in North Carolina and an overwhelming majority work in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties.” said Sen. Burr. “Businesses use this data when deciding where to locate. A bureaucratic record keeping flaw shouldn’t stand between this community and a fair shot at economic development opportunities.”

Senator Burr’s amendment, and the accompanying legislation S. 1157, requires the Census Bureau and OMB to include Brunswick county in the Wilmington MSA. The OMB has also committed updating MSAs in 2018. Senator Burr will continue to work with the Census Bureau, OMB, and local stakeholders to resolve this issue.