Metropolitan Power Diffusion Index

The Center for Metropolitan Studies at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh provides the Metropolitan Power Diffusion Index (MPDI) for the 942 U.S. metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, based on 2009 core-based statistical area (CBSA) definitions. Using data from the Census of Governments individual government data, the MPDI is a univariate score that measures how many separate governments (local, county, and special district) provide 11 common public services within a CBSA and how much each of those governments spends in providing those services. The more individual governments there are spending greater amounts of money on the services, the higher the MPDI score. The services measured include fire, central staff services, public buildings, highways, housing and community development, libraries, police, sewerage, solid waste management, and water utilities. For more information, please visit the Center for Metropolitan Studies website.