US Metropolitan Areas Statistics

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%
2 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%
3 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%
4 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%
5 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%
6 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%
7 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%
8 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%
9 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%
10 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%