The Mansfield metropolitan area was first defined in 1971.[1] Then known as the Mansfield Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (Mansfield SMSA), it consisted of a single county – Richland – and had a population of 129,997 in the
1970 census.[2] By the
census of
1980, the population had grown to 131,205.[2] In 1983, the official name was shortened to the Mansfield Metropolitan Statistical Area (Mansfield MSA), which is still in use to date.[3] The population had declined to 126,137 in
1990.[2] By the census of
2000, the population had grown to 128,852.[4]
Crawford County was added to the MSA in 1999. The two-county area had 175,818 residents in
2000. In 2003, Crawford County was removed from the Mansfield metropolitan area and was re-designated as the
BucyrusMicropolitan Statistical Area (Bucyrus μSA).[5]