Metropolitan Statistical Areas

The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) delineates metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas according to published standards that are applied to Census Bureau data. The general concept of a metropolitan statistical area is that of a core area containing a substantial population nucleus, together with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that core. Currently delineated metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas are based on application of 2010 standards (which appeared in the Federal Register on June 28, 2010) to 2010 Census and 2011-2015 American Community Survey data, as well as 2016 Population Estimates Program data. Current metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area delineations were announced by OMB effective September 2018.

Standard delineations of metropolitan areas were first issued in 1949 by the then Bureau of the Budget (predecessor of OMB), under the designation “standard metropolitan area” (SMA). The term was changed to “standard metropolitan statistical area” (SMSA) in 1959, and to “metropolitan statistical area” (MSA) in 1983. The term “metropolitan area” (MA) was adopted in 1990 and referred collectively to metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), consolidated metropolitan statistical areas (CMSAs), and primary metropolitan statistical areas (PMSAs). The term “core based statistical area” (CBSA) became effective in 2000 and refers collectively to metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas.

The largest city in each metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area is designated a “principal city.” Additional cities qualify if specified requirements are met concerning population size and employment. The title of each metropolitan statistical area consists of the names of up to three of its principal cities and the name of each state into which the metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area extends. Titles of metropolitan divisions also typically are based on principal city names but in certain cases consist of county names.

Top 50 Metropolitan Statistical Areas Population
Rank MSA 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 CAGR
1 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA MSA 19,979,477 19,998,951 20,016,916 19,999,935 19,957,669 19,901,696 19,822,685 19,724,708 19,567,410 0.26%
Growth rate YoY % -0.10% -0.09% 0.08% 0.21% 0.28% 0.40% 0.50% 0.80%    
2 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA MSA 13,291,486 13,298,709 13,291,247 13,250,999 13,178,730 13,106,114 13,018,855 12,927,594 12,828,837 0.44%
Growth rate YoY % -0.05% 0.06% 0.30% 0.55% 0.55% 0.67% 0.71% 0.77%    
3 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI MSA 9,498,716 9,520,784 9,540,144 9,557,880 9,564,614 9,553,268 9,529,773 9,500,991 9,461,105 0.05%
Growth rate YoY % -0.23% -0.20% -0.19% -0.07% 0.12% 0.25% 0.30% 0.42%    
4 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX MSA 7,539,711 7,407,944 7,262,951 7,109,280 6,955,259 6,817,518 6,706,434 6,570,598 6,426,214 2.02%
Growth rate YoY % 1.78% 2.00% 2.16% 2.21% 2.02% 1.66% 2.07% 2.25%    
5 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX MSA 6,997,384 6,905,695 6,812,260 6,676,565 6,503,618 6,330,657 6,184,861 6,056,366 5,920,416 2.11%
Growth rate YoY % 1.33% 1.37% 2.03% 2.66% 2.73% 2.36% 2.12% 2.30%    
6 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MSA 6,249,950 6,200,001 6,139,035 6,082,465 6,020,449 5,950,951 5,865,970 5,768,757 5,636,232 1.30%
Growth rate YoY % 0.81% 0.99% 0.93% 1.03% 1.17% 1.45% 1.69% 2.35%    
7 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL MSA 6,198,782 6,149,687 6,086,935 5,998,284 5,921,030 5,849,411 5,771,731 5,693,531 5,564,635 1.36%
Growth rate YoY % 0.80% 1.03% 1.48% 1.30% 1.22% 1.35% 1.37% 2.32%    
8 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA 6,096,372 6,078,451 6,067,691 6,057,621 6,047,106 6,030,541 6,016,657 5,995,769 5,965,343 0.27%
Growth rate YoY % 0.29% 0.18% 0.17% 0.17% 0.27% 0.23% 0.35% 0.51%    
9 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA MSA 5,949,951 5,874,249 5,790,280 5,688,284 5,594,545 5,511,323 5,444,763 5,366,252 5,286,728 1.49%
Growth rate YoY % 1.29% 1.45% 1.79% 1.68% 1.51% 1.22% 1.46% 1.50%    
10 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH MSA 4,875,390 4,844,597 4,811,098 4,779,753 4,747,822 4,703,321 4,656,698 4,609,467 4,552,402 0.86%
Growth rate YoY % 0.64% 0.70% 0.66% 0.67% 0.95% 1.00% 1.02% 1.25%    
11 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ MSA 4,857,962 4,761,694 4,675,966 4,581,122 4,491,423 4,404,675 4,331,053 4,253,825 4,192,887 1.86%
Growth rate YoY % 2.02% 1.83% 2.07% 2.00% 1.97% 1.70% 1.82% 1.45%    
12 San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA MSA 4,729,484 4,710,693 4,689,132 4,649,539 4,587,253 4,521,312 4,456,395 4,395,894 4,335,391 1.09%
Growth rate YoY % 0.40% 0.46% 0.85% 1.36% 1.46% 1.46% 1.38% 1.40%    
13 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA 4,622,361 4,570,427 4,516,744 4,465,232 4,418,731 4,371,914 4,336,162 4,295,341 4,224,851 1.13%
Growth rate YoY % 1.14% 1.19% 1.15% 1.05% 1.07% 0.82% 0.95% 1.67%    
14 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI MSA 4,326,442 4,321,704 4,316,198 4,309,845 4,311,699 4,305,860 4,300,902 4,291,406 4,296,250 0.09%
Growth rate YoY % 0.11% 0.13% 0.15% -0.04% 0.14% 0.12% 0.22% -0.11%    
15 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA 3,939,363 3,884,469 3,814,369 3,738,316 3,672,067 3,610,838 3,554,484 3,499,104 3,439,809 1.71%
Growth rate YoY % 1.41% 1.84% 2.03% 1.80% 1.70% 1.59% 1.58% 1.72%    
16 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MSA 3,629,190 3,592,669 3,554,690 3,519,501 3,491,584 3,456,095 3,421,051 3,388,292 3,348,859 1.01%
Growth rate YoY % 1.02% 1.07% 1.00% 0.80% 1.03% 1.02% 0.97% 1.18%    
17 San Diego-Carlsbad, CA MSA 3,343,364 3,325,468 3,310,280 3,284,061 3,250,993 3,211,248 3,175,201 3,137,372 3,095,313 0.97%
Growth rate YoY % 0.54% 0.46% 0.80% 1.02% 1.24% 1.14% 1.21% 1.36%    
18 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA 3,142,663 3,091,225 3,034,215 2,969,251 2,912,875 2,870,355 2,845,719 2,828,748 2,783,243 1.53%
Growth rate YoY % 1.66% 1.88% 2.19% 1.94% 1.48% 0.87% 0.60% 1.63%    
19 Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO MSA 2,932,415 2,892,979 2,857,549 2,813,514 2,754,641 2,700,774 2,650,456 2,602,973 2,543,482 1.79%
Growth rate YoY % 1.36% 1.24% 1.57% 2.14% 1.99% 1.90% 1.82% 2.34%    
20 St. Louis, MO-IL MSA 2,805,465 2,805,850 2,805,437 2,807,498 2,803,516 2,799,459 2,796,568 2,794,881 2,787,701 0.08%
Growth rate YoY % -0.01% 0.01% -0.07% 0.14% 0.14% 0.10% 0.06% 0.26%    
21 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA 2,802,789 2,798,587 2,794,294 2,790,285 2,780,300 2,768,374 2,754,611 2,733,547 2,710,489 0.42%
Growth rate YoY % 0.15% 0.15% 0.14% 0.36% 0.43% 0.50% 0.77% 0.85%    
22 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA 2,572,692 2,512,917 2,452,986 2,387,554 2,324,886 2,270,479 2,225,779 2,175,958 2,134,411 2.36%
Growth rate YoY % 2.38% 2.44% 2.74% 2.70% 2.40% 2.01% 2.29% 1.95%    
23 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC MSA 2,569,213 2,524,863 2,474,478 2,422,408 2,374,668 2,332,687 2,292,168 2,254,513 2,217,012 1.86%
Growth rate YoY % 1.76% 2.04% 2.15% 2.01% 1.80% 1.77% 1.67% 1.69%    
24 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX MSA 2,518,036 2,474,274 2,428,326 2,380,630 2,329,756 2,280,585 2,237,358 2,193,881 2,142,508 2.04%
Growth rate YoY % 1.77% 1.89% 2.00% 2.18% 2.16% 1.93% 1.98% 2.40%    
25 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA 2,478,810 2,456,462 2,427,459 2,382,370 2,344,562 2,311,294 2,288,535 2,262,637 2,226,009 1.35%
Growth rate YoY % 0.91% 1.19% 1.89% 1.61% 1.44% 0.99% 1.14% 1.65%    
26 Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA MSA 2,345,210 2,320,381 2,292,410 2,264,065 2,236,623 2,211,060 2,190,556 2,172,928 2,149,127 1.10%
Growth rate YoY % 1.07% 1.22% 1.25% 1.23% 1.16% 0.94% 0.81% 1.11%    
27 Pittsburgh, PA MSA 2,324,743 2,330,283 2,340,576 2,347,907 2,356,201 2,359,764 2,360,331 2,360,160 2,356,285 -0.17%
Growth rate YoY % -0.24% -0.44% -0.31% -0.35% -0.15% -0.02% 0.01% 0.16%    
28 Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV MSA 2,231,647 2,183,310 2,140,547 2,098,105 2,054,263 2,018,003 1,989,693 1,962,010 1,951,269 1.69%
Growth rate YoY % 2.21% 2.00% 2.02% 2.13% 1.80% 1.42% 1.41% 0.55%    
29 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN MSA 2,190,209 2,179,858 2,168,233 2,157,640 2,148,189 2,137,994 2,128,333 2,122,445 2,114,580 0.44%
Growth rate YoY % 0.47% 0.54% 0.49% 0.44% 0.48% 0.45% 0.28% 0.37%    
30 Austin-Round Rock, TX MSA 2,168,316 2,115,230 2,062,211 2,002,591 1,943,409 1,883,901 1,834,926 1,780,605 1,716,289 2.97%
Growth rate YoY % 2.51% 2.57% 2.98% 3.05% 3.16% 2.67% 3.05% 3.75%    
31 Kansas City, MO-KS MSA 2,143,651 2,127,259 2,106,882 2,085,979 2,069,384 2,053,939 2,038,570 2,025,319 2,009,342 0.81%
Growth rate YoY % 0.77% 0.97% 1.00% 0.80% 0.75% 0.75% 0.65% 0.80%    
32 Columbus, OH MSA 2,106,541 2,082,475 2,051,957 2,027,559 2,001,776 1,974,121 1,947,157 1,926,157 1,901,974 1.29%
Growth rate YoY % 1.16% 1.49% 1.20% 1.29% 1.40% 1.38% 1.09% 1.27%    
33 Cleveland-Elyria, OH MSA 2,057,009 2,058,549 2,061,527 2,064,284 2,067,459 2,067,127 2,064,716 2,068,801 2,077,240 -0.12%
Growth rate YoY % -0.07% -0.14% -0.13% -0.15% 0.02% 0.12% -0.20% -0.41%    
34 Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN MSA 2,048,703 2,026,723 2,005,404 1,985,844 1,970,816 1,953,149 1,929,653 1,910,646 1,887,877 1.03%
Growth rate YoY % 1.08% 1.06% 0.98% 0.76% 0.90% 1.22% 0.99% 1.21%    
35 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA MSA 1,999,107 1,993,582 1,988,816 1,975,724 1,950,851 1,924,569 1,894,984 1,868,148 1,836,911 1.06%
Growth rate YoY % 0.28% 0.24% 0.66% 1.27% 1.37% 1.56% 1.44% 1.70%    
36 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN MSA 1,930,961 1,900,584 1,866,873 1,829,347 1,792,933 1,758,982 1,726,925 1,698,280 1,670,890 1.82%
Growth rate YoY % 1.60% 1.81% 2.05% 2.03% 1.93% 1.86% 1.69% 1.64%    
37 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA 1,728,733 1,724,876 1,722,419 1,719,838 1,714,136 1,704,386 1,697,056 1,685,911 1,676,822 0.38%
Growth rate YoY % 0.22% 0.14% 0.15% 0.33% 0.57% 0.43% 0.66% 0.54%    
38 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA MSA 1,621,337 1,617,057 1,614,911 1,613,051 1,611,223 1,607,576 1,605,752 1,602,828 1,600,852 0.16%
Growth rate YoY % 0.26% 0.13% 0.12% 0.11% 0.23% 0.11% 0.18% 0.12%    
39 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI MSA 1,576,113 1,575,151 1,576,331 1,576,781 1,575,157 1,571,822 1,567,241 1,561,175 1,555,908 0.16%
Growth rate YoY % 0.06% -0.07% -0.03% 0.10% 0.21% 0.29% 0.39% 0.34%    
40 Jacksonville, FL MSA 1,534,701 1,504,841 1,476,120 1,444,715 1,416,551 1,393,454 1,377,551 1,361,845 1,345,596 1.66%
Growth rate YoY % 1.98% 1.95% 2.17% 1.99% 1.66% 1.15% 1.15% 1.21%    
41 Oklahoma City, OK MSA 1,396,445 1,383,249 1,374,153 1,358,012 1,336,940 1,320,817 1,298,476 1,277,284 1,252,987 1.36%
Growth rate YoY % 0.95% 0.66% 1.19% 1.58% 1.22% 1.72% 1.66% 1.94%    
42 Raleigh, NC MSA 1,362,540 1,334,342 1,303,845 1,271,196 1,241,236 1,213,328 1,187,686 1,162,096 1,130,490 2.36%
Growth rate YoY % 2.11% 2.34% 2.57% 2.41% 2.30% 2.16% 2.20% 2.80%    
43 Memphis, TN-MS-AR MSA 1,350,620 1,347,576 1,345,143 1,343,842 1,342,777 1,341,457 1,340,380 1,332,647 1,324,829 0.24%
Growth rate YoY % 0.23% 0.18% 0.10% 0.08% 0.10% 0.08% 0.58% 0.59%    
44 Richmond, VA MSA 1,306,172 1,292,911 1,281,314 1,269,483 1,257,769 1,244,814 1,232,938 1,218,638 1,208,101 0.98%
Growth rate YoY % 1.03% 0.91% 0.93% 0.93% 1.04% 0.96% 1.17% 0.87%    
45 Louisville–Jefferson County, KY-IN MSA 1,297,310 1,292,809 1,285,181 1,278,977 1,272,083 1,265,071 1,253,065 1,244,645 1,235,708 0.61%
Growth rate YoY % 0.35% 0.59% 0.49% 0.54% 0.55% 0.96% 0.68% 0.72%    
46 New Orleans-Metairie, LA MSA 1,270,399 1,270,465 1,267,894 1,260,452 1,248,964 1,239,607 1,226,858 1,213,891 1,189,866 0.82%
Growth rate YoY % 99.99% 0.20% 0.59% 0.92% 0.75% 1.04% 1.07% 2.02%    
47 Salt Lake City, UT MSA 1,222,540 1,205,238 1,185,219 1,165,246 1,151,703 1,140,176 1,123,809 1,106,739 1,087,873 1.47%
Growth rate YoY % 1.44% 1.69% 1.71% 1.18% 1.01% 1.46% 1.54% 1.73%    
48 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA 1,206,300 1,206,719 1,208,416 1,211,598 1,213,800 1,214,663 1,215,098 1,215,979 1,212,381 -0.06%
Growth rate YoY % -0.03% -0.14% -0.26% -0.18% -0.07% -0.04% -0.07% 0.30%    
49 Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA 1,151,801 1,149,685 1,147,616 1,144,734 1,141,436 1,138,638 1,133,591 1,130,493 1,128,047 0.26%
Growth rate YoY % 0.18% 0.18% 0.25% 0.29% 0.25% 0.45% 0.27% 0.22%    
50 Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY MSA 1,130,152 1,129,660 1,130,013 1,132,909 1,135,116 1,134,993 1,134,590 1,135,456 1,135,509 -0.06%
Growth rate YoY % 0.04% -0.03% -0.26% -0.19% 0.01% 0.04% -0.08% 0.00%