The results are not directly comparable with those of last year's list, both because we added a new type of data and because the Office of Management and Budget has reconfigured its metropolitan statistical areas. (To be considered a metro area, OMB requires at least one urbanized area of 50, 000 people.) Essex County, for example, wasn't even considered for a spot in the 2005 edition.
ZestCash, which operates through a website people in need of a loan access, says it can charge less, perhaps 300%, by better economic modelling and better risk management, using Internet-type search of non-obviouis data.