In the United States, a metropolitan area refers to a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area.[1] Such regions are not legally incorporated as a city or town would be, nor are they legal administrative divisions like counties or states. As such the precise definition of any given metropolitan area can vary with the source. A typical metropolitan area is centered around a single large city that wields substantial influence over the region (e.g. Chicagoland). However, some metropolitan areas contain more than one large city with no single municipality holding a dominant position (e.g. Minneapolis – Saint Paul).
Some U.S. government agencies publish definitions of metropolitan areas for accounting and tracking purposes. The most widely used are those published by the Office of Management and Budget. These are used by the U.S. Census Bureau for its demographics statistics as well as many other agencies.
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The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines a set of core based statistical areas (CBSAs) throughout the country. CBSAs are delineated on the basis of a central urban area or urban cluster—a contiguous area of relatively high population density. The counties containing the core urban area are known as the central counties of the CBSA. Additional surrounding counties (known as outlying counties) can be included in the CBSA if these counties have strong social and economic ties to the central counties as measured by commuting and employment. Outlying counties are included in the CBSA if the employment interchange measure (total of in commuting and out commuting) is 25% or more. Note that some areas within these outlying counties may actually be rural in nature. CBSAs are subdivided into metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and micropolitan statistical areas based on the population of the core urban area. Under certain conditions, one or more CBSAs may be grouped together to form a larger statistical entity known as a combined statistical area (CSA). Other names, such as Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area, have been used in the past but are now discontinued.[2] CBSAs are composed of counties and county-equivalents.[3] In New England, because of the greater importance of towns over counties, similar areas are defined based on town units, known as New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs). U.S. census statistics for metropolitan areas are reported based on these definitions.
MSAs are used for official accounting purposes, but they are not the only estimates of metropolitan area populations available. The appropriate boundaries - and therefore population figures - for some metro areas are much debated, and in some cases reputable sources provide figures which differ by millions. The most contentious examples include the Greater Los Angeles Area, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Greater Cleveland. However, some of these boundaries are addressed by CSAs. The official definitions used for the last U.S. Census differed from those for previous censuses, making comparisons difficult even between official figures at different dates (comparing 2000 with 1990, Baltimore was separated from Washington, D.C., but West Palm Beach was combined with Miami-Fort Lauderdale, which made a considerable difference to the rankings of both metros). Care should also be taken when comparing MSA figures with population figures for cities or metro areas outside the U.S., which may be based on substantially different boundary systems and definitions of terms. Additionally, United States MSA boundaries do not stretch into neighboring countries such as Canada or Mexico, so border cities such as Detroit, Buffalo, El Paso and San Diego would count only U.S. population figures.
As of June 2003, there is now an additional classification, that of a “Metropolitan Division.” The term metropolitan division is used to refer to a county or group of closely-tied contiguous counties that serve as a distinct employment region within a metropolitan statistical area that has a population core of at least 2.5 million. While a metropolitan division is a subdivision of a larger metropolitan statistical area, it often functions as a distinct social, economic, and cultural area within the larger region.
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Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) are large metropolitan areas of the United States as defined by the Office of Management and Budget. These areas are urban area a high population density. An earlier version of the MSA was the "Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area" (SMSA). MSAs are used for official purposes.
MSAs are made up of counties and for some county equivalents[1]. In New England, because of the greater importance of towns over counties, similar areas are based on town units. These are called New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs).
MSAs are creatded around a central urban area —a single area of high population density. The counties which the urbanized area are located in are known as the central counties of the MSA. Other nearby counties (known as outlying counties) can be a part of the MSA if these counties have strong social and economic connections to the central counties. Aome areas within these outlying counties may actually be rural areas.
The population estimates for some metro areas are not always agreed upon. In some cases, different sources give numbers of people which differ by millions. The definitions used for the last U.S. Census differed from those for previous censuses. This makes it hard to compare official information from different dates. MSA boundaries do not stretch into Canada or Mexico. This can affect the actual population in several cities. For example, Detroit, Buffalo, El Paso and San Diego are often much larger than their MSA figures.
As of June 2003, there is now an additional classification, “Metropolitan Division.” The term metropolitan division is used for a county or group of counties that are a distinct employment area within a metropolitan statistical area that has a population of at least 2.5 million people. A metropolitan division is a part of a larger metropolitan statistical area but it is often a distinct social, economic, and cultural area within the larger region.
The following is a list of the 25 most populated metropolitan statistical areas and metropolitan divisions in the United States, according to the July 1, 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates:[2]
| Rank | Metropolitan Area | Metropolitan Divisions | State(s) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York–Northern New Jersey–Long Island | NY–NJ–PA | 18,815,988 | |
| Edison | NJ | 2,319,704 | ||
| Nassau–Suffolk | NY | 2,759,762 | ||
| Newark–Union | NJ-PA | 2,128,679 | ||
| New York–White Plains–Wayne | NY-NJ | 11,607,843 | ||
| 2 | Los Angeles–Long Beach–Santa Ana | CA | 12,875,587 | |
| Los Angeles–Long Beach–Glendale | 9,878,554 | |||
| Santa Ana–Anaheim–Irvine | 2,997,033 | |||
| 3 | Chicago–Naperville–Joliet | IL–IN–WI | 9,524,673 | |
| Chicago–Naperville–Joliet | IL | 7,952,540 | ||
| Gary | IN | 698,971 | ||
| Lake County–Kenosha County | IL–WI | 873,162 | ||
| 4 | Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington | TX | 6,145,037 | |
| Dallas–Plano–Irving | 4,111,529 | |||
| Fort Worth–Arlington | 2,033,508 | |||
| 5 | Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington | PA–NJ–DE–MD | 5,827,962 | |
| Camden | NJ | 1,246,339 | ||
| Philadelphia | PA | 3,887,694 | ||
| Wilmington | DE–MD–NJ | 693,929 | ||
| 6 | Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown | TX | 5,628,101 | |
| 7 | Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach | FL | 5,413,212 | |
| Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach–Deerfield Beach | 1,759,591 | |||
| Miami–Miami Beach–Kendall | 2,387,170 | |||
| West Palm Beach–Boca Raton–Boynton Beach | 1,266,451 | |||
| 8 | Washington–Arlington–Alexandria | DC–VA–MD–WV | 5,306,565 | |
| Bethesda-Gaithersburg–Frederick | MD | 1,155,518 | ||
| Washington–Arlington–Alexandria | DC–MD–VA–WV | 4,151,047 | ||
| 9 | Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta | GA | 5,278,904 | |
| 10 | Boston–Cambridge–Quincy | MA–NH | 4,482,857 | |
| Boston–Quincy | MA | 1,858,216 | ||
| Cambridge–Newton–Framingham | 1,473,416 | |||
| Peabody | 733,101 | |||
| Rockingham County–Strafford County | NH | 418,124 | ||
| 11 | Detroit–Warren–Livonia | MI | 4,467,592 | |
| Detroit–Livonia–Dearborn | 1,985,101 | |||
| Warren–Troy–Farmington Hills | 2,482,491 | |||
| 12 | San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont | CA | 4,203,898 | |
| Oakland–Fremont–Hayward | 2,483,842 | |||
| San Francisco–San Mateo–Redwood City | 1,720,056 | |||
| 13 | Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale | AZ | 4,179,427 | |
| 14 | Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue | WA | 4,109,347 | |
| Seattle–Bellevue–Everett | 2,536,182 | |||
| Tacoma | 773,165 | |||
| 15 | Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario | CA | 4,081,371 | |
| 16 | Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington | MN–WI | 3,208,212 | |
| 17 | San Diego–Carlsbad–San Marcos[3] | CA | 2,974,859 | |
| 18 | St. Louis | MO–IL | 2,803,707 | |
| 19 | Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater | FL | 2,723,949 | |
| 20 | Baltimore–Towson | MD | 2,668,056 | |
| 21 | Charlotte[4] | NC | 2,566,399 | |
| 22 | Denver–Aurora | CO | 2,464,866 | |
| 23 | Pittsburgh | PA–WV | 2,355,712 | |
| 24 | Portland–Vancouver–Beaverton | OR–WA | 2,175,113 | |
| 25 | Cincinnati–Middletown | OH-KY-IN | 2,133,678 | |
| 26 | Cleveland–Elyria–Mentor | OH | 2,096,471 |
   | U.S. Census Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Definitions - Current Lists of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Definitions |
| | U.S. Census 2000 Metropolitan Area Rankings - Ranking Tables for Population of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Combined Statistical Areas, New England City and Town Areas, and Combined New England City and Town Areas: 1990 and 2000 (PHC-T-29) |
| | Definitions of all Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Metropolitan Divisions - Bulletin 05-02, Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses |
| | U.S. Census 2000 Metropolitan Area Rankings - Ranking Tables for Metropolitan Areas (PHC-T-3) |
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