Misc
This Giant Map Shows All the Metropolitan Areas in the U.S.
This Giant Map Shows All the Metropolitan Areas in the U.S.
The United States is the third most populous country in the world, made up of close to 20,000 cities and towns, and 333 million individuals.
Dividing these population clusters into a coherent framework of statistical areas is no small feat, and the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest map shows just how complex of a task it is.
This enormous map—which covers the entire country, including Puerto Rico—includes 392 metropolitan statistical areas and 547 micropolitan statistical areas.
For reference, here are all the current metropolitan statistical areas in the United States, organized by population:
Rank | Metropolitan statistical area | Population (2020) | Change since 2010 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA MSA | 20,140,470 | 6.58% |
2 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA MSA | 13,200,998 | 2.90% |
3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI MSA | 9,618,502 | 1.66% |
4 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX MSA | 7,637,387 | 19.96% |
5 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX MSA | 7,122,240 | 20.30% |
6 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MSA | 6,385,162 | 13.02% |
7 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA | 6,245,051 | 4.69% |
8 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL MSA | 6,138,333 | 10.31% |
9 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA MSA | 6,089,815 | 15.19% |
10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH MSA | 4,941,632 | 8.55% |
11 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA | 4,845,832 | 15.57% |
12 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA MSA | 4,749,008 | 9.54% |
13 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA | 4,599,839 | 8.88% |
14 | Detroit–Warren–Dearborn, MI MSA | 4,392,041 | 2.23% |
15 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA | 4,018,762 | 16.83% |
16 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MSA | 3,690,261 | 10.26% |
17 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA | 3,298,634 | 6.57% |
18 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA | 3,175,275 | 14.09% |
19 | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO MSA | 2,963,821 | 16.53% |
20 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA | 2,844,510 | 4.94% |
21 | St. Louis, MO-IL MSA | 2,820,253 | 1.17% |
22 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA | 2,673,376 | 25.25% |
23 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC MSA | 2,660,329 | 18.56% |
24 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX MSA | 2,558,143 | 19.40% |
25 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA | 2,512,859 | 12.89% |
26 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA MSA | 2,397,382 | 11.55% |
27 | Pittsburgh, PA MSA | 2,370,930 | 0.62% |
28 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX MSA | 2,283,371 | 33.04% |
29 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV MSA | 2,265,461 | 16.10% |
30 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN MSA | 2,256,884 | 5.58% |
31 | Kansas City, MO-KS MSA | 2,192,035 | 9.09% |
32 | Columbus, OH MSA | 2,138,926 | 12.46% |
33 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN MSA | 2,111,040 | 11.82% |
34 | Cleveland-Elyria, OH MSA | 2,088,251 | 0.53% |
35 | San Juan-Bayamón-Caguas, PR Metropolitan Statistical Area | 2,002,906 | -14.77% |
36 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA MSA | 2,000,468 | 8.90% |
37 | Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN MSA | 1,989,519 | 20.86% |
38 | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA | 1,799,674 | 5.00% |
39 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA MSA | 1,676,579 | 4.73% |
40 | Jacksonville, FL MSA | 1,605,848 | 19.34% |
41 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA | 1,574,731 | 1.21% |
42 | Oklahoma City, OK MSA | 1,425,695 | 13.78% |
43 | Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA | 1,413,982 | 25.08% |
44 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR MSA | 1,337,779 | 1.65% |
45 | Richmond, VA MSA | 1,314,434 | 10.78% |
46 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MSA | 1,285,439 | 6.88% |
47 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA MSA | 1,271,845 | 6.89% |
48 | Salt Lake City, UT MSA | 1,257,936 | 15.63% |
49 | Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT MSA | 1,213,531 | 0.09% |
50 | Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY MSA | 1,166,902 | 2.76% |
51 | Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA | 1,115,289 | 5.11% |
52 | Rochester, NY MSA | 1,090,135 | 0.97% |
53 | Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI MSA | 1,087,592 | 9.45% |
54 | Tucson, AZ MSA | 1,043,433 | 6.44% |
55 | Urban Honolulu, HI MSA | 1,016,508 | 6.64% |
56 | Tulsa, OK MSA | 1,015,331 | 8.30% |
57 | Fresno, CA MSA | 1,008,654 | 8.40% |
58 | Worcester, MA-CT MSA | 978,529 | 6.71% |
59 | Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA MSA | 967,604 | 11.82% |
60 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT MSA | 957,419 | 4.43% |
61 | Greenville-Anderson, SC MSA | 928,195 | 12.63% |
62 | Albuquerque, NM MSA | 916,528 | 3.32% |
63 | Bakersfield, CA MSA | 909,235 | 8.29% |
64 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA | 899,262 | 3.28% |
65 | Knoxville, TN MSA | 879,773 | 7.96% |
66 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA | 870,781 | 12.39% |
67 | Baton Rouge, LA MSA | 870,569 | 5.41% |
68 | El Paso, TX MSA | 868,859 | 8.05% |
69 | New Haven-Milford, CT MSA | 864,835 | 0.27% |
70 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ MSA | 861,889 | 4.96% |
71 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA | 843,843 | 2.49% |
72 | North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL MSA | 833,716 | 18.72% |
73 | Columbia, SC MSA | 829,470 | 8.06% |
74 | Dayton-Kettering, OH MSA | 814,049 | 1.85% |
75 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA | 799,636 | 20.32% |
76 | Stockton, CA MSA | 779,233 | 13.71% |
77 | Greensboro-High Point, NC MSA | 776,566 | 7.29% |
78 | Boise City, ID MSA | 764,718 | 24.03% |
79 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA | 760,822 | 22.96% |
80 | Colorado Springs, CO MSA | 755,105 | 16.96% |
81 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR MSA | 748,031 | 6.90% |
82 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA | 725,046 | 20.42% |
83 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA | 709,466 | 16.98% |
84 | Akron, OH MSA | 702,219 | -0.14% |
85 | Springfield, MA MSA | 699,162 | 0.90% |
86 | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY MSA | 697,221 | 4.02% |
87 | Ogden-Clearfield, UT MSA | 694,863 | 16.36% |
88 | Madison, WI MSA | 680,796 | 12.45% |
89 | Winston-Salem, NC MSA | 675,966 | 5.52% |
90 | Provo-Orem, UT MSA | 671,185 | 27.41% |
91 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL MSA | 668,921 | 13.32% |
92 | Syracuse, NY MSA | 662,057 | -0.08% |
93 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC MSA | 649,903 | 15.18% |
94 | Wichita, KS MSA | 647,610 | 3.94% |
95 | Toledo, OH MSA | 646,604 | -0.74% |
96 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC MSA | 611,000 | 8.17% |
97 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA | 606,612 | 11.64% |
98 | Jackson, MS MSA | 591,978 | 0.97% |
99 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA | 591,712 | 7.69% |
100 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA MSA | 585,784 | 13.80% |
101 | Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA | 567,559 | 0.70% |
102 | Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA | 562,647 | 6.53% |
103 | Lancaster, PA MSA | 552,984 | 6.46% |
104 | Modesto, CA MSA | 552,878 | 7.47% |
105 | Portland-South Portland, ME MSA | 551,740 | 7.32% |
106 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA | 546,725 | 24.22% |
107 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA | 541,297 | 1.24% |
108 | Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA MSA | 541,243 | -4.34% |
109 | Fayetteville, NC MSA | 520,378 | 8.17% |
110 | Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA | 516,811 | 9.47% |
111 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA | 509,905 | 13.57% |
112 | Huntsville, AL MSA | 491,723 | 17.75% |
113 | Reno, NV MSA | 490,596 | 15.32% |
114 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA | 488,863 | 1.03% |
115 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC MSA | 487,722 | 29.46% |
116 | Port St. Lucie, FL MSA | 487,657 | 14.98% |
117 | Lafayette, LA MSA | 478,384 | 2.49% |
118 | Springfield, MO MSA | 475,432 | 8.87% |
119 | Killeen-Temple, TX MSA | 475,367 | 17.29% |
120 | Visalia, CA MSA | 473,117 | 7.00% |
121 | Asheville, NC MSA | 469,015 | 10.39% |
122 | York-Hanover, PA MSA | 456,438 | 4.94% |
123 | Vallejo, CA MSA | 453,491 | 9.71% |
124 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA | 448,229 | 5.74% |
125 | Salinas, CA MSA | 439,035 | 5.78% |
126 | Salem, OR MSA | 433,353 | 10.91% |
127 | Mobile, AL MSA | 430,197 | -0.09% |
128 | Reading, PA MSA | 428,849 | 4.23% |
129 | Manchester-Nashua, NH MSA | 422,937 | 5.54% |
130 | Corpus Christi, TX MSA | 421,933 | 4.17% |
131 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA | 421,017 | 3.64% |
132 | Fort Wayne, IN MSA | 419,601 | 7.97% |
133 | Salisbury, MD-DE MSA | 418,046 | 11.84% |
134 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS MSA | 416,259 | 7.15% |
135 | Flint, MI MSA | 406,211 | -4.60% |
136 | Savannah, GA MSA | 404,798 | 16.45% |
137 | Peoria, IL MSA | 402,391 | -3.33% |
138 | Canton-Massillon, OH MSA | 401,574 | -0.70% |
139 | Anchorage, AK MSA | 398,328 | 4.60% |
140 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX MSA | 397,565 | 2.27% |
141 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA | 393,406 | -1.30% |
142 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA | 387,340 | 5.68% |
143 | Montgomery, AL MSA | 386,047 | 3.07% |
144 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA | 384,324 | 1.22% |
145 | Tallahassee, FL MSA | 384,298 | 4.60% |
146 | Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA | 382,971 | 8.89% |
147 | Ocala, FL MSA | 375,908 | 13.47% |
148 | Naples-Marco Island, FL MSA | 375,752 | 16.87% |
149 | Ann Arbor, MI MSA | 372,258 | 7.97% |
150 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA | 365,276 | -0.06% |
151 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH MSA | 359,862 | -2.98% |
152 | Fort Collins, CO MSA | 359,066 | 19.84% |
153 | Lincoln, NE MSA | 340,217 | 12.60% |
154 | Gainesville, FL MSA | 339,247 | 11.20% |
155 | Rockford, IL MSA | 338,798 | -3.04% |
156 | Boulder, CO MSA | 330,758 | 12.29% |
157 | Greeley, CO MSA | 328,981 | 30.12% |
158 | Columbus, GA-AL MSA | 328,883 | 6.85% |
159 | Green Bay, WI MSA | 328,268 | 7.19% |
160 | Spartanburg, SC MSA | 327,997 | 15.37% |
161 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI MSA | 324,501 | 1.65% |
162 | Lubbock, TX MSA | 321,368 | 10.51% |
163 | Clarksville, TN-KY MSA | 320,535 | 17.01% |
164 | Roanoke, VA MSA | 315,251 | 2.12% |
165 | Evansville, IN-KY MSA | 314,049 | 0.80% |
166 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA | 307,614 | -0.62% |
167 | Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA | 303,622 | 19.85% |
168 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA | 294,793 | 16.86% |
169 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV MSA | 293,844 | 9.18% |
170 | Utica-Rome, NY MSA | 292,264 | -2.38% |
171 | Duluth, MN-WI MSA | 291,638 | 0.34% |
172 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL MSA | 286,973 | 21.67% |
173 | Longview, TX MSA | 286,184 | 2.21% |
174 | Aguadilla-Isabela, PR Metropolitan Statistical Area | 286,064 | -15.72% |
175 | Wilmington, NC MSA | 285,905 | 12.17% |
176 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA | 282,424 | 4.74% |
177 | Merced, CA MSA | 281,202 | 9.93% |
178 | Waco, TX MSA | 277,547 | 9.80% |
179 | Sioux Falls, SD MSA | 276,730 | 21.23% |
180 | Cedar Rapids, IA MSA | 276,520 | 7.20% |
181 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA | 275,611 | 9.75% |
182 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ MSA | 274,534 | -0.01% |
183 | Erie, PA MSA | 270,876 | -3.45% |
184 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA | 270,861 | 3.23% |
185 | Amarillo, TX MSA | 268,761 | 6.68% |
186 | Tuscaloosa, AL MSA | 268,674 | 12.32% |
187 | Norwich-New London, CT MSA | 268,555 | -2.01% |
188 | College Station-Bryan, TX MSA | 268,248 | 17.31% |
189 | Laredo, TX MSA | 267,114 | 6.72% |
190 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI MSA | 261,670 | 4.53% |
191 | Lynchburg, VA MSA | 261,593 | 3.55% |
192 | Charleston, WV MSA | 258,859 | -6.89% |
193 | Yakima, WA MSA | 256,728 | 5.55% |
194 | Fargo, ND-MN MSA | 249,843 | 19.67% |
195 | Binghamton, NY MSA | 247,138 | -1.82% |
196 | Fort Smith, AR-OK MSA | 244,310 | -1.57% |
197 | Appleton, WI MSA | 243,147 | 7.75% |
198 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ MSA | 236,209 | 11.93% |
199 | Macon-Bibb County, GA MSA | 233,802 | 0.65% |
200 | Tyler, TX MSA | 233,479 | 11.33% |
201 | Topeka, KS MSA | 233,152 | -0.31% |
202 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL MSA | 231,767 | 27.16% |
203 | Barnstable Town, MA MSA | 228,996 | 6.07% |
204 | Bellingham, WA MSA | 226,847 | 12.78% |
205 | Rochester, MN MSA | 226,329 | 9.40% |
206 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT MSA | 225,562 | 6.77% |
207 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN MSA | 223,716 | 6.38% |
208 | Medford, OR MSA | 223,259 | 9.87% |
209 | Champaign-Urbana, IL MSA | 222,538 | 2.17% |
210 | Lake Charles, LA MSA | 222,402 | 11.42% |
211 | Charlottesville, VA MSA | 221,524 | 9.91% |
212 | Las Cruces, NM MSA | 219,561 | 4.94% |
213 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC MSA | 215,908 | 15.45% |
214 | Athens-Clarke County, GA MSA | 215,415 | 11.88% |
215 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ MSA | 213,267 | 6.53% |
216 | Chico, CA MSA | 211,632 | -3.80% |
217 | Ponce, PR Metropolitan Statistical Area | 211,465 | -19.48% |
218 | Columbia, MO MSA | 210,864 | 10.76% |
219 | Springfield, IL MSA | 208,640 | -0.73% |
220 | Johnson City, TN MSA | 207,285 | 4.31% |
221 | Houma-Thibodaux, LA MSA | 207,137 | -0.50% |
222 | Monroe, LA MSA | 207,104 | 1.31% |
223 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN MSA | 207,047 | 4.80% |
224 | Jacksonville, NC MSA | 204,576 | 15.08% |
225 | Yuma, AZ MSA | 203,881 | 4.15% |
226 | Gainesville, GA MSA | 203,136 | 13.05% |
227 | Florence, SC MSA | 199,964 | -2.73% |
228 | St. Cloud, MN MSA | 199,671 | 5.59% |
229 | Bend, OR MSA | 198,253 | 25.69% |
230 | Racine, WI MSA | 197,727 | 1.19% |
231 | Warner Robins, GA MSA | 191,614 | 14.33% |
232 | Saginaw, MI MSA | 190,124 | -5.02% |
233 | Punta Gorda, FL MSA | 186,847 | 16.80% |
234 | Terre Haute, IN MSA | 185,031 | -2.49% |
235 | Billings, MT MSA | 184,167 | 10.17% |
236 | Redding, CA MSA | 182,155 | 2.78% |
237 | Dover, DE MSA | 181,851 | 12.04% |
238 | Kingston, NY MSA | 181,851 | -0.35% |
239 | Joplin, MO MSA | 181,409 | 3.36% |
240 | Yuba City, CA MSA | 181,208 | 8.58% |
241 | Jackson, TN MSA | 180,504 | 0.45% |
242 | St. George, UT MSA | 180,279 | 30.53% |
243 | El Centro, CA MSA | 179,702 | 2.96% |
244 | Bowling Green, KY MSA | 179,639 | 13.27% |
245 | Abilene, TX MSA | 176,579 | 6.85% |
246 | Muskegon, MI MSA | 175,824 | 2.11% |
247 | Iowa City, IA MSA | 175,419 | 14.96% |
248 | Midland, TX MSA | 175,220 | 23.68% |
249 | Panama City, FL MSA | 175,216 | 3.77% |
250 | Auburn-Opelika, AL MSA | 174,241 | 24.24% |
251 | Arecibo, PR Metropolitan Statistical Area | 173,218 | -13.16% |
252 | Hattiesburg, MS MSA | 172,231 | 6.05% |
253 | Eau Claire, WI MSA | 172,007 | 6.74% |
254 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI MSA | 171,730 | 2.84% |
255 | Burlington, NC MSA | 171,415 | 13.42% |
256 | Coeur d'Alene, ID MSA | 171,362 | 23.73% |
257 | Bloomington, IL MSA | 170,954 | 0.81% |
258 | Greenville, NC MSA | 170,243 | 1.25% |
259 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA MSA | 168,461 | 0.38% |
260 | East Stroudsburg, PA MSA | 168,327 | -0.89% |
261 | Pueblo, CO MSA | 168,162 | 5.72% |
262 | Wausau-Weston, WI MSA | 166,428 | 2.22% |
263 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA MSA | 166,378 | 2.10% |
264 | Odessa, TX MSA | 165,171 | 20.45% |
265 | Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI MSA | 164,754 | 6.41% |
266 | Janesville-Beloit, WI MSA | 163,687 | 2.09% |
267 | Bloomington, IN MSA | 161,039 | 0.93% |
268 | Jackson, MI MSA | 160,366 | 0.07% |
269 | Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL MSA | 159,788 | 15.76% |
270 | State College, PA MSA | 158,172 | 2.72% |
271 | Idaho Falls, ID MSA | 157,429 | 18.13% |
272 | Decatur, AL MSA | 156,494 | 1.73% |
273 | Madera, CA MSA | 156,255 | 3.57% |
274 | Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA MSA | 155,932 | 4.22% |
275 | Grand Junction, CO MSA | 155,703 | 6.12% |
276 | Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY MSA | 155,572 | 4.88% |
277 | Santa Fe, NM MSA | 154,823 | 7.39% |
278 | Monroe, MI MSA | 154,809 | 1.83% |
279 | Niles, MI MSA | 154,316 | -1.59% |
280 | Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ MSA | 154,152 | -1.75% |
281 | Homosassa Springs, FL MSA | 153,843 | 8.93% |
282 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA MSA | 152,486 | -0.32% |
283 | Bangor, ME MSA | 152,199 | -1.12% |
284 | Alexandria, LA MSA | 152,192 | -1.12% |
285 | Dothan, AL MSA | 151,007 | 3.69% |
286 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL MSA | 150,791 | 2.48% |
287 | Jefferson City, MO MSA | 150,309 | 0.34% |
288 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD MSA | 149,940 | 4.43% |
289 | Albany, GA MSA | 148,922 | -3.21% |
290 | Wichita Falls, TX MSA | 148,128 | -2.10% |
291 | Valdosta, GA MSA | 148,126 | 6.12% |
292 | Texarkana, TX-AR MSA | 147,519 | -1.13% |
293 | Logan, UT-ID MSA | 147,348 | 17.46% |
294 | Flagstaff, AZ MSA | 145,101 | 7.95% |
295 | Rocky Mount, NC MSA | 143,870 | -5.59% |
296 | Lebanon, PA MSA | 143,257 | 7.25% |
297 | Dalton, GA MSA | 142,837 | 0.43% |
298 | Morristown, TN MSA | 142,709 | 4.47% |
299 | Winchester, VA-WV MSA | 142,632 | 11.02% |
300 | Morgantown, WV MSA | 140,038 | 7.96% |
301 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN MSA | 139,627 | 4.46% |
302 | Wheeling, WV-OH MSA | 139,513 | -5.70% |
303 | Rapid City, SD MSA | 139,074 | 10.04% |
304 | Napa, CA MSA | 138,019 | 1.12% |
305 | Sumter, SC MSA | 136,700 | -4.02% |
306 | Springfield, OH MSA | 136,001 | -1.69% |
307 | Harrisonburg, VA MSA | 135,571 | 8.26% |
308 | Sherman-Denison, TX MSA | 135,543 | 12.13% |
309 | Battle Creek, MI MSA | 134,310 | -1.35% |
310 | Jonesboro, AR MSA | 134,196 | 10.88% |
311 | Manhattan, KS MSA | 134,046 | 5.48% |
312 | Bismarck, ND MSA | 133,626 | 20.79% |
313 | Johnstown, PA MSA | 133,472 | -7.10% |
314 | Carbondale-Marion, IL MSA | 133,435 | -4.11% |
315 | Hammond, LA MSA | 133,157 | 9.96% |
316 | The Villages, FL MSA | 129,752 | 38.89% |
317 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA MSA | 129,523 | 10.80% |
318 | Pittsfield, MA MSA | 129,026 | -1.67% |
319 | Albany-Lebanon, OR MSA | 128,610 | 10.23% |
320 | Glens Falls, NY MSA | 127,039 | -1.46% |
321 | Lawton, OK MSA | 126,652 | -2.79% |
322 | Cleveland, TN MSA | 126,164 | 8.96% |
323 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ MSA | 125,447 | -4.49% |
324 | Staunton, VA MSA | 125,433 | 5.85% |
325 | Ames, IA MSA | 125,252 | 8.12% |
326 | Mansfield, OH MSA | 124,936 | 0.37% |
327 | San Angelo, TX MSA | 122,888 | 8.78% |
328 | Altoona, PA MSA | 122,822 | -3.36% |
329 | New Bern, NC MSA | 122,168 | -3.65% |
330 | Wenatchee, WA MSA | 122,012 | 10.04% |
331 | Farmington, NM MSA | 121,661 | -6.45% |
332 | Owensboro, KY MSA | 121,559 | 5.93% |
333 | St. Joseph, MO-KS MSA | 121,467 | -4.60% |
334 | San Germán, PR Metropolitan Statistical Area | 120,280 | -12.50% |
335 | Lawrence, KS MSA | 118,785 | 7.18% |
336 | Sheboygan, WI MSA | 118,034 | 2.19% |
337 | Missoula, MT MSA | 117,922 | 7.89% |
338 | Goldsboro, NC MSA | 117,333 | -4.31% |
339 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH MSA | 116,903 | -6.07% |
340 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY MSA | 116,721 | 0.42% |
341 | Anniston-Oxford, AL MSA | 116,441 | -1.80% |
342 | Beckley, WV MSA | 115,079 | -7.86% |
343 | Twin Falls, ID MSA | 114,283 | 14.74% |
344 | Williamsport, PA MSA | 114,188 | -1.66% |
345 | California-Lexington Park, MD MSA | 113,777 | 8.20% |
346 | Brunswick, GA MSA | 113,495 | 1.00% |
347 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN MSA | 112,417 | 0.85% |
348 | Muncie, IN MSA | 111,903 | -4.90% |
349 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME MSA | 111,139 | 3.19% |
350 | Longview, WA MSA | 110,730 | 8.12% |
351 | Kankakee, IL MSA | 107,502 | -5.24% |
352 | Ithaca, NY MSA | 105,740 | 4.11% |
353 | Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA | 104,362 | 5.99% |
354 | Fond du Lac, WI MSA | 104,154 | 2.48% |
355 | Decatur, IL MSA | 103,998 | -6.11% |
356 | Bay City, MI MSA | 103,856 | -3.63% |
357 | Gettysburg, PA MSA | 103,852 | 2.41% |
358 | Mankato, MN MSA | 103,566 | 7.06% |
359 | Gadsden, AL MSA | 103,436 | -0.95% |
360 | Lima, OH MSA | 102,206 | -3.88% |
361 | Sebring-Avon Park, FL MSA | 101,235 | 2.48% |
362 | Cheyenne, WY MSA | 100,512 | 9.56% |
363 | Hot Springs, AR MSA | 100,180 | 4.33% |
364 | Dubuque, IA MSA | 99,266 | 5.99% |
365 | Rome, GA MSA | 98,584 | 2.35% |
366 | Victoria, TX MSA | 98,331 | 4.60% |
367 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL MSA | 97,517 | 1.29% |
368 | Fairbanks, AK MSA | 95,655 | -1.97% |
369 | Ocean City, NJ MSA | 95,263 | -2.06% |
370 | Corvallis, OR MSA | 95,184 | 11.22% |
371 | Cumberland, MD-WV MSA | 95,044 | -7.99% |
372 | Pocatello, ID MSA | 94,896 | 4.68% |
373 | Mayagüez, PR Metropolitan Statistical Area | 93,412 | -19.62% |
374 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV MSA | 89,490 | -3.43% |
375 | Grants Pass, OR MSA | 88,090 | 6.50% |
376 | Pine Bluff, AR MSA | 87,751 | -12.47% |
377 | Great Falls, MT MSA | 84,414 | 3.80% |
378 | Elmira, NY MSA | 84,148 | -5.27% |
379 | Yauco, PR Metropolitan Statistical Area | 84,112 | -21.63% |
380 | Kokomo, IN MSA | 83,658 | 1.09% |
381 | Midland, MI MSA | 83,494 | -0.16% |
382 | Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA MSA | 82,863 | -3.15% |
383 | Columbus, IN MSA | 82,208 | 7.05% |
384 | Hinesville, GA MSA | 81,424 | 4.50% |
385 | Casper, WY MSA | 79,955 | 5.97% |
386 | Grand Island, NE MSA | 77,038 | 5.93% |
387 | Danville, IL MSA | 74,188 | -9.11% |
388 | Guayama, PR Metropolitan Statistical Area | 72,240 | -14.22% |
389 | Lewiston, ID-WA MSA | 64,375 | 5.73% |
390 | Enid, OK MSA | 62,846 | 3.74% |
391 | Walla Walla, WA MSA | 62,584 | 6.47% |
392 | Carson City, NV MSA | 58,639 | 6.09% |
From Metro to Micro
The wide variety of population patterns around the country can make it tricky to divide regions up into uniform units. There are two main divisions to consider when viewing this map:
- Metropolitan Areas (metro areas) have at least one urban core area of at least 50,000 population. These are the largest population centers, sometimes encompassing many counties. In some instances, these metro areas are further subdivided into Metropolitan Divisions.
- Micropolitan Areas are the smallest areas measured on this map (indicated by a lighter shade of green). These smaller regions, which are generally located further away from large cities, have at least one urban core area of at least 10,000 but fewer than 50,000 people.
One thing to note about all of these definitions is that the cities in these regions must have significant ties to a neighboring region—usually in the form of commuting ties. This is what warrants binding adjacent counties into a measurable area.
Another unique layer of data on this map is the shading that indicates the actual urbanized area within metro areas. In the example of Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, it’s easy to see how urban sprawl has expanded the urban area into a number of neighboring counties.
With this context in mind, we’ll take a closer look at three points of interest on the map that show this concept at work with varying degrees of complexity.
Level One: The Central City
The Texas Triangle offers what is perhaps the most straightforward example of metro areas.
As seen above, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio anchor their respective regions, and surrounding counties are bundled into a metro area. The surrounding counties have all been identified as having ties to the central county, and, in some cases, the urban area has spread into the neighboring county over time.
Level Two: The City Cluster
The region anchored by Salt Lake City requires more thought to divide into statistical areas.
While there are a number of population centers in the area, including Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden, they all have enough of an economic “magnetic pull” to warrant splitting the region into distinct statistical areas.
Of course, regions are always evolving, and occasionally these areas are updated. Salt Lake City and Ogden were previously combined into a single metro area, but were separated in 2005.
Level Three: The Megaregion
New York City is the ultimate challenge for planners looking to categorize population centers into a neat and tidy statistical box.
For one, the contiguous urban area is massive, stretching from the west side of Long Island out to the east side of New Jersey. In addition to New York City itself, the metro area includes 19 other municipalities with over 100,000 people.
Next, NYC is an unparalleled economic magnet. Measuring commuting activity is a challenge because a wide variety of people visit the city for so many different reasons. The interconnectedness of the Northeast Megaregion also adds to the complexity.
New York-Newark-Jersey City is such a big pie to carve up, that four of the country’s 11 metro divisions (as indicated by the italicized text and dotted lines) occur in this one area.
Blurring the Lines
Population patterns are constantly changing across the country, so the next version of this map may have a number of changes on it. Our “straightforward” Texas Triangle example may become tougher to divide up as the population boom continues in the region.
Here’s how the population of U.S. countries changed over the past decade:
Further complicating matters is the rapid move to remote work and distributed teams. A key element of these census divisions are commuting ties. With work increasingly not bound by geographic limitations, it remains unclear how that trend will impact this type of statistical exercise in the future.
Misc
Ranked: America’s Best Universities
Evaluated on 19 different metrics, here’s the list of America’s best universities, led by 14 private schools.

Ranked: America’s Best Universities
The latest ranking of America’s best universities is here, perfectly timed for the approaching admissions season.
“Best” is of course subjective, and U.S. News and World Report has compiled 19 metrics on which they evaluated more than 400 national universities. Some of them include:
- Graduation rates & performance: A four-year rolling average of the proportion of each entering class earning a bachelor’s degree in six years or less. Performance is measured against predictions made by the publishers, and when beaten, the university gains a higher scoring.
- Peer assessment: A two-year weighted average of ratings from top academics—presidents, provosts and deans of admissions—on academic quality of peer institutions with which they are familiar.
- Financial resources: The average per student spend on instruction, research, student services and related educational expenditures in the 2021 fiscal year.
- Debt: A school’s average accumulated federal loan debt among borrowers only.
- Pell graduation rates & performance: the same calculation as stated above, but focused only on Pell Grant students, adjusted to give more credit to schools with larger Pell student proportions.
The website’s methodology section details how they sourced their data, the weights assigned to each metric, and their changes over the years.
From the hundreds assessed come the nearly 50 best universities that offer a variety of undergraduate majors, post-graduate programs, emphasize research, or award professional practice doctorates.
Which are the Best Universities in America?
At the top of the list, Princeton University is the best university in the country, known for its physics, economics, and international relations departments. Notably, it’s a rare Ivy league university that does not have a law, medical, or business school.
Here’s the full ranking of America’s best universities, along with annual tuition requirements.
Rank | School Name | State | Tuition |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Princeton University | New Jersey | $59,710 |
2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts | $60,156 |
3 | Harvard University | Massachusetts | $59,076 |
3 | Stanford University | California | $62,484 |
5 | Yale University | Connecticut | $64,700 |
6 | University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | $66,104 |
7 | California Institute of Technology | California | $63,255 |
7 | Duke University | North Carolina | $66,172 |
9 | Brown University | Rhode Island | $68,230 |
9 | Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | $63,340 |
9 | Northwestern University | Illinois | $65,997 |
12 | Columbia University | New York | $65,524 |
12 | Cornell University | New York | $66,014 |
12 | University of Chicago | Illinois | $65,619 |
15 | University of California, Berkeley | California | $48,465 (out-state) $15,891 (in-state) |
15 | University of California, LA | California | $46,326 (out-state) $13,752 (in-state) |
17 | Rice University | Texas | $58,128 |
18 | Dartmouth College | New Hampshire | $65,511 |
18 | Vanderbilt University | Tennessee | $63,946 |
20 | University of Notre Dame | Indiana | $62,693 |
21 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | Michigan | $57,273 (out-state) $17,786 (in-state) |
22 | Georgetown University | Washington, DC | $65,082 |
22 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina | $39,338 (out-state) $8,998 (in-state) |
24 | Carnegie Mellon University | Pennsylvania | $63,829 |
24 | Emory University | Georgia | $60,774 |
24 | University of Virginia | Virginia | $58,950 (out-state) $22,323 (in-state) |
24 | Washington University, St. Louis | Missouri | $62,982 |
28 | University of California, Davis | California | $46,043 (out-state) $15,266 (in-state) |
28 | University of California, San Diego | California | $48,630 (out-state) $16,056 (in-state) |
28 | University of Florida | Florida | $28,658 (out-state) $6,381 (in-state) |
28 | University of Southern California | California | $68,237 |
32 | University of Texas, Austin | Texas | $41,070 (out-state) $11,698 (in-state) |
33 | Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia | $32,876 (out-state) $11,764 (in-state) |
33 | University of California, Irvine | California | $47,759 (out-state) $15,185 (in-state) |
35 | New York University | New York | $60,438 |
35 | University of California, Santa Barbara | California | $45,658 (out-state) $14,881 (in-state) |
35 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Illinois | $36,068 (out-state) $17,572 (in-state) |
35 | University of Wisconsin, Madison | Wisconsin | $40,603 (out-state) $11,205 (in-state) |
39 | Boston College | Massachusetts | $67,680 |
40 | Rutgers University, New Brunswick | New Jersey | $36,001 (out-state) $17,239 (in-state) |
40 | Tufts University | Massachusetts | $67,844 |
40 | University of Washington | Washington | $41,997 (out-state) $12,643 (in-state) |
43 | Boston University | Massachusetts | $65,168 |
43 | The Ohio State University | Ohio | $36,722 (out-state) $12,485 (in-state) |
43 | Purdue University, Main Campus | Indiana | $28,794 (out-state) $9,992 (in-state) |
46 | University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland | $40,306 (out-state) $11,505 (in-state) |
47 | Lehigh University | Pennsylvania | $62,180 |
47 | Texas A&M University | Texas | $40,607 (out-state) $12,413 (in-state) |
47 | University of Georgia | Georgia | $30,220 (out-state) $11,180 (in-state) |
47 | University of Rochester | New York | $64,384 |
47 | Virginia Tech | Virginia | $36,090 (out-state) $15,478 (in-state) |
47 | Wake Forest University | North Carolina | $64,758 |
53 | Case Western Reserve University | Ohio | $62,234 |
53 | Florida State University | Florida | $21,683 (out-state) $6,517 (in-state) |
53 | Northeastern University | Massachusetts | $63,141 |
53 | University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Minnesota | $36,402 (out-state) $16,488 (in-state) |
53 | William & Mary | Virginia | $48,841 (out-state) $25,041 (in-state) |
MIT places second, and Harvard and Stanford tie for third. Yale rounds out the top five.
Private universities, including seven Ivy League colleges, dominate the top of the rankings. Meanwhile, the highest-ranked public schools are tied at 15th, both state schools in California.
For affordability, since the higher ranks are populated by private universities, there tends to be a broad correlation of better universities being more expensive. That said, the most expensive school in the top 50 ranks is actually the University of Southern California, tied at 28th, for $68,237/year.
As it happens, also tied at 28th, the University of Florida is the most affordable public school for in-state students ($6,381/year) and Florida State University tied at 53rd, is the most affordable for out-of-staters at $21,683/year.
However these costs are tuition-only, and don’t account for other necessary expenses: accommodation, food, and textbooks.
Best University versus Best “Fit”
Finding the best university for prospective students is more than just perusing a long ranking list.
Aside from the numerous schools present within each university—which can often be the best for specific majors—factors like location, proximity to family, campus culture, the non-academic pursuits (sports, extracurriculars, internships) are also taken into consideration.
In fact, research has found that just attaining a university degree improves future earnings potential and employability.
Furthermore, individual engagement at college (irrespective of the rank of the school in question) plays a far bigger role in learning and general well-being than simply attending a highly-ranked school.
However, for low income and minority students, attending a top-ranked school does improve future earnings considerably. For women, it also often results in delaying marriage and kids, which results in more work-hours and as a result, more pay.
-
Misc5 days ago
Ranked: America’s Best Universities
-
Technology1 week ago
Ranked: Largest Semiconductor Foundry Companies by Revenue
-
Misc1 week ago
Visualized: EV Market Share in the U.S.
-
Maps1 week ago
Interactive Map: The World as 1,000 People
-
Retail1 week ago
Ranked: Average Black Friday Discounts for Major Retailers
-
Brands1 week ago
Ranked: Fast Food Brands with the Most U.S. Locations
-
Economy1 week ago
Visualizing 30 Years of Imports from U.S. Trading Partners
-
Markets1 week ago
Ranked: The Biggest Retailers in the U.S. by Revenue