This month, we’re thrilled to announce an enhanced cities filter, fully aligned with the OECD’s latest definition of Functional Urban Areas (FUAs). Imagine a filter that not only matches current standards but also gives you a more accurate understanding of urban territories—yes, it’s now a reality!
Switching to the updated OECD’s FUA definition means our data is more globally comparable and more accurate. No more mixing apples and oranges. In short, you get to make more informed decisions with data that’s both broader in scope and finer in detail. And, rest assured, the newly updated cities are integrated seamlessly into our product, making your user experience as smooth as ever.
Why The Change?
We’ve always strived to make our data internationally relevant. But thanks to the latest advancements in defining cities, spearheaded by the OECD, we can now provide an even more harmonised and comprehensive view.
The new filter includes the likes of Coventry, Brighton, Stoke etc. Changes are automatic and are deployed on our September update.
As the OECD puts it:
“Our goal is to harmonize the definition of cities to facilitate international comparisons and policy analysis related to urban development.”
So, what does this mean for you? In simple terms, we’re now using the ‘commuting zone’ as the basis for defining a city. For example, in our revamped filter, Middlesbrough now includes Hartlepool but leaves out Darlington, as shown below:
Tailored For You: City Name Changes
We’ve been listening to your feedback, and we’ve acted on it! A few cities have been renamed to better suit your needs:
- From West Midlands Urban Areas To Birmingham and Wolverhampton
- From Derry & Strabane Local Government District To Derry/Londonderry
- From Bath and North East Somerset To Bath
- From North East Lincolnshire To Grimsby
- From Kingston upon Hull To Hull
- From Blackburn with Darwen To Blackburn
Got suggestions or need different naming conventions? We’re all ears! Feel free to reach out via our contact page and we’ll be happy to explore further adjustments.
Additional Resources
Want to dive deeper? You can access shapefiles that define our city geographies directly from the OECD website.
For more specific information on the UK, check out this detailed OECD report.
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