The U.S. State of Alabama currently has 35 statistical areas that have been delineated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
On July 21, 2023, the OMB delineated nine combined statistical areas , 13 metropolitan statistical areas , and 13 micropolitan statistical areas in Alabama.[ 1] As of 2023, the largest of these is the Birmingham-Cullman-Talladega, AL CSA , encompassing the area around the state's largest city, Birmingham .
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has designated more than 1,000 statistical areas for the United States and Puerto Rico .[ 2] These statistical areas are important geographic delineations of population clusters used by the OMB, the United States Census Bureau , planning organizations, and federal, state, and local government entities.
The OMB defines a core-based statistical area (commonly referred to as a CBSA ) as the county or counties (or county-equivalents ) surrounding at least one densely-settled core of at least 10,000 population,[ 2] "plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured through commuting ties with the counties containing the core".[ 2] The OMB further divides core-based statistical areas based on population into metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) for those with at least 50,000 and micropolitan statistical areas (μSAs) for those with 10,000 to 49,999 people.[ 2]
The OMB defines a combined statistical area (CSA) as two or more adjacent core-based statistical areas where the employment interchange rate (% commuting from A to B plus % commuting from B to A) is at least 15%.[ 2] The primary statistical areas (PSAs) include all combined statistical areas and any core-based statistical area that is not a constituent of a combined statistical area.
The 35 United States statistical areas and 67 counties of the State of Alabama [ a]
Combined statistical area[ 1]
2023 population (est.)[ 3]
Core-based statistical area[ 1]
2023 population (est.)[ 3]
County
2023 population (est.)[ 3]
Metropolitan division[ 1]
2023 population (est.)[ 3]
Birmingham-Cullman-Talladega, AL CSA
1,367,706
Birmingham, AL MSA
1,184,290
Jefferson County, Alabama
662,895
none
Shelby County, Alabama
233,000
St. Clair County, Alabama
95,552
Walker County, Alabama
64,728
Blount County, Alabama
59,816
Chilton County, Alabama
46,431
Bibb County, Alabama
21,868
Cullman, AL μSA
92,016
Cullman County, Alabama
92,016
Talladega-Sylacauga, AL μSA
91,400
Talladega County, Alabama
81,132
Coosa County, Alabama
10,268
Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL-TN CSA
895,383 859,214 (AL )
Huntsville, AL MSA
527,254
Madison County, Alabama
412,600
Limestone County, Alabama
114,654
Decatur, AL MSA
158,635
Morgan County, Alabama
125,133
Lawrence County, Alabama
33,502
Albertville, AL μSA
100,756
Marshall County, Alabama
100,756
Fort Payne, AL μSA
72,569
DeKalb County, Alabama
72,569
Fayetteville, TN μSA
36,169
Lincoln County, Tennessee
36,169
Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope, AL CSA
665,147
Mobile, AL MSA
411,640
Mobile County, Alabama
411,640
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL MSA
253,507
Baldwin County, Alabama
253,507
Montgomery-Selma, AL CSA
421,645
Montgomery, AL MSA
385,480
Montgomery County, Alabama
224,980
Elmore County, Alabama
90,441
Autauga County, Alabama
60,342
Lowndes County, Alabama
9,717
Selma, AL μSA
36,165
Dallas County, Alabama
36,165
Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL CSA
566,030 301,006 (AL)
Columbus, GA-AL MSA
323,768 58,744 (AL)
Muscogee County, Georgia
201,877
Russell County, Alabama
58,744
Harris County, Georgia
36,654
Chattahoochee County, Georgia
8,661
Marion County, Georgia
7,440
Talbot County, Georgia
5,718
Stewart County, Georgia
4,674
Auburn-Opelika, AL MSA
201,585
Lee County, Alabama
183,215
Macon County, Alabama
18,370
Alexander City, AL μSA
40,677
Tallapoosa County, Alabama
40,677
none
Tuscaloosa, AL MSA
278,290
Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
237,373
Pickens County, Alabama
18,688
Hale County, Alabama
14,888
Greene County, Alabama
7,341
Dothan-Enterprise-Ozark, AL CSA
256,866
Dothan, AL MSA
153,349
Houston County, Alabama
108,462
Geneva County, Alabama
26,988
Henry County, Alabama
17,899
Enterprise, AL μSA
55,643
Coffee County, Alabama
55,643
Ozark, AL μSA
49,871
Dale County, Alabama
49,871
Florence-Muscle Shoals-Russellville, AL CSA
186,977
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL MSA
153,349
Lauderdale County, Alabama
96,814
Colbert County, Alabama
58,361
Russellville, AL μSA
31,802
Franklin County, Alabama
31,802
none
Anniston-Oxford, AL MSA
116,429
Calhoun County, Alabama
116,429
Gadsden, AL MSA
103,241
Etowah County, Alabama
103,241
Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL CSA
1,003,363 53,467 (AL)
Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA
580,971
Hamilton County, Tennessee
379,864
Walker County, Georgia
69,489
Catoosa County, Georgia
68,910
Marion County, Tennessee
29,382
Sequatchie County, Tennessee
17,161
Dade County, Georgia
16,165
Dalton, GA MSA
144,722
Whitfield County, Georgia
103,687
Murray County, Georgia
41,035
Cleveland, TN MSA
129,612
Bradley County, Tennessee
111,579
Polk County, Tennessee
18,033
Athens, TN μSA
69,369
McMinn County, Tennessee
55,678
Meigs County, Tennessee
13,691
Scottsboro, AL μSA
53,467
Jackson County, Alabama
53,467
Summerville, GA μSA
25,222
Chattooga County, Georgia
25,222
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL CSA
7,241,538 34,079 (AL)
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA MSA
6,327,662
Fulton County, Georgia
1,079,105
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA MD
4,934,074
Gwinnett County, Georgia
983,526
DeKalb County, Georgia
762,992
Clayton County, Georgia
298,300
Forsyth County, Georgia
272,887
Henry County, Georgia
254,613
Coweta County, Georgia
155,892
Douglas County, Georgia
149,160
Carroll County, Georgia
127,098
Fayette County, Georgia
123,251
Newton County, Georgia
120,135
Walton County, Georgia
106,702
Rockdale County, Georgia
95,987
Barrow County, Georgia
92,792
Spalding County, Georgia
69,946
Pickens County, Georgia
35,969
Lumpkin County, Georgia
35,258
Dawson County, Georgia
31,732
Butts County, Georgia
26,887
Morgan County, Georgia
21,460
Meriwether County, Georgia
20,931
Pike County, Georgia
20,461
Lamar County, Georgia
20,401
Jasper County, Georgia
16,455
Heard County, Georgia
12,034
Cobb County, Georgia
776,743
Marietta, GA MD
1,393,588
Cherokee County, Georgia
286,602
Paulding County, Georgia
183,164
Bartow County, Georgia
115,041
Haralson County, Georgia
32,038
Athens-Clarke County, GA MSA
222,060
Clarke County, Georgia
129,933
none
Oconee County, Georgia
44,182
Madison County, Georgia
32,191
Oglethorpe County, Georgia
15,754
Gainesville, GA MSA
217,267
Hall County, Georgia
217,267
LaGrange, GA-AL μSA
104,821 34,079 (AL)
Troup County, Georgia
70,742
Chambers County, Alabama
34,079
Rome, GA MSA
100,113
Floyd County, Georgia
100, 113
Jefferson, GA μSA
88,615
Jackson County, Georgia
88,615
Calhoun, GA μSA
59,757
Gordon County, Georgia
59,757
Cornelia, GA μSA
48,757
Habersham County, Georgia
48,757
Cedartown, GA μSA
44,223
Polk County, Georgia
44,223
Thomaston, GA μSA
28,263
Upson County, Georgia
28,263
none
Troy, AL μSA
33,137
Pike County, Alabama
33,137
Eufaula, AL-GA μSA
26,865 24,585 (AL)
Barbour County, Alabama
24,585
Quitman County, Georgia
2,280
none
Covington County, Alabama
37,952
Escambia County, Alabama
36,558
Marion County, Alabama
29,244
Cherokee County, Alabama
25,666
Winston County, Alabama
23,611
Randolph County, Alabama
22,786
Clarke County, Alabama
22,337
Monroe County, Alabama
19,229
Marengo County, Alabama
18,684
Butler County, Alabama
18,382
Fayette County, Alabama
15,967
Cleburne County, Alabama
15,639
Washington County, Alabama
15,022
Clay County, Alabama
14,111
Lamar County, Alabama
13,661
Crenshaw County, Alabama
13,101
Choctaw County, Alabama
12,252
Sumter County, Alabama
11,727
Conecuh County, Alabama
11,174
Wilcox County, Alabama
9,944
Bullock County, Alabama
9,897
Perry County, Alabama
7,738
State of Alabama
5,108,468
Core-based statistical areas [ edit ]
The following table provides the in-state population ranking of each CBSA along with its rate of population change over time.
The 26 core-based statistical areas of the State of Alabama[ b]
2023 rank
Core-based statistical area [ 1]
Population
2023 estimate[ 3]
Change
2020 Census [ 4]
Change
2010 Census [ 5]
1
Birmingham, AL MSA
1,184,290
+0.31 %
1,180,631
+4.66 %
1,128,047
2
Huntsville, AL MSA
527,254
+7.23 %
491,723
+17.75 %
417,593
3
Mobile, AL MSA
411,640
−0.76 %
414,809
+0.44 %
412,992
4
Montgomery, AL MSA
385,480
−0.15 %
386,047
+3.07 %
374,536
5
Tuscaloosa, AL MSA
278,290
+3.58 %
268,674
+12.32 %
239,207
6
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL MSA
253,507
+9.38 %
231,767
+27.16 %
182,265
7
Auburn-Opelika, AL MSA
201,585
+4.03 %
193,773
+19.84 %
161,699
8
Decatur, AL MSA
158,635
+1.37 %
156,494
+1.73 %
153,829
9
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL MSA
155,175
+2.91 %
150,791
+2.48 %
147,137
10
Dothan, AL MSA
153,349
+1.55 %
151,007
+3.69 %
145,639
11
Anniston-Oxford, AL MSA
116,429
−0.01 %
116,441
−1.80 %
118,572
12
Gadsden, AL MSA
103,241
−0.19 %
103,436
−0.95 %
104,430
13
Albertville, AL μSA
100,756
+3.22 %
97,612
+4.94 %
93,019
14
Cullman, AL μSA
92,016
+4.72 %
87,866
+9.28 %
80,406
15
Talladega-Sylacauga, AL μSA
91,400
−1.23 %
92,536
−1.38 %
93,830
16
Fort Payne, AL μSA
72,569
+1.34 %
71,608
+0.70 %
71,109
17
Columbus, GA-AL MSA (AL)
58,744
−0.74 %
59,183
+11.78 %
52,947
18
Enterprise, AL μSA
55,643
+4.07 %
53,465
+7.04 %
49,948
19
Scottsboro, AL μSA
53,467
+1.69 %
52,579
−1.22 %
53,227
20
Ozark, AL μSA
49,871
+1.10 %
49,326
−1.84 %
50,251
21
Alexander City, AL μSA
40,677
−1.53 %
41,311
−0.73 %
41,616
22
Selma, AL μSA
36,165
−5.97 %
38,462
−12.23 %
43,820
23
LaGrange, GA-AL μSA (AL)
34,079
−1.99 %
34,772
+1.63 %
34,215
24
Troy, AL μSA
33,137
+0.39 %
33,009
+0.33 %
32,899
25
Russellville, AL μSA
31,802
−0.97 %
32,113
+1.29 %
31,704
26
Eufaula, AL-GA μSA (AL)
24,585
−2.53 %
25,223
−8.14 %
27,457
Columbus, GA-AL MSA
323,768
−1.56 %
328,883
+6.85 %
307,788
LaGrange, GA-AL μSA
104,821
+0.60 %
104,198
+2.90 %
101,259
Eufaula, AL-GA μSA
26,865
−2.16 %
27,458
−8.38 %
29,970
Combined statistical areas [ edit ]
The following table provides the in-state population ranking of each CSA along with its rate of population change over time.
The nine combined statistical areas of the State of Alabama[ c]
2023 rank
Combined statistical area [ 1]
Population
2023 estimate[ 3]
Change
2020 Census [ 4]
Change
2010 Census [ 5]
1
Birmingham-Cullman-Talladega, AL CSA
1,367,706
+0.49 %
1,361,033
+4.51 %
1,302,283
2
Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL-TN CSA (AL)
859,214
+5.11 %
817,437
+11.13 %
735,550
3
Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope, AL CSA
665,147
+2.87 %
646,576
+8.62 %
595,257
4
Montgomery-Selma, AL CSA
421,645
−0.67 %
424,509
+1.47 %
418,356
5
Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL CSA (AL)
301,006
+2.29 %
294,267
+14.83 %
256,262
6
Dothan-Enterprise-Ozark, AL CSA
258,863
+2.00 %
253,798
+3.24 %
245,838
7
Florence-Muscle Shoals-Russellville, AL CSA
186,977
+2.23 %
182,904
+2.27 %
178,841
8
Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL CSA (AL)
53,467
+1.69 %
52,579
−1.22 %
53,227
9
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL CSA (AL)
34,079
−1.99 %
34,772
+1.63 %
34,215
Huntsville-Decatur-Albertivlle, AL-TN CSA
895,383
+5.00 %
852,756
+10.90 %
768,911
Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL CSA
566,030
+0.37 %
563,967
+10.34 %
511,103
Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL CSA
1,003,363
+2.89 %
975,226
+4.93 %
929,449
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL CSA
7,241,538
+3.53 %
6,994,671
+14.41 %
6,113,835
^ An out-of-state area and its population are displayed in green. An area that extends into more than one state is displayed in purple. A purple population number over a black population number show the total population versus the in-state population. The state's abbreviation is also shown next to the in-state total.
^ For CBSAs comprising populations from multiple states, they are listed twice to show both their intrastate population within that CBSA as well as the CBSA's total population. Only the intrastate population is ranked.
^ For CSAs comprising populations from multiple states, they are listed twice to show both their intrastate population within that CSA as well as the CSA's total population. Only the intrastate population is ranked.
^ a b c d e f Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas (July 21, 2023). "0MB BULLETIN NO. 23-01" (PDF) . Office of Management and Budget . Retrieved October 23, 2023 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link )
^ a b c d e "2020 Standards for Delineating Core Based Statistical Areas" . Office of Management and Budget . July 16, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021 .
^ a b c d e f "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2023" . United States Census Bureau , Population Division. March 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024 .
^ a b "PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS" . U.S. Census Bureau . 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2024 .
^ a b "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019" . U.S. Census Bureau . 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2024 .
32°46′46″N 86°49′43″W / 32.7794°N 86.8287°W / 32.7794; -86.8287 (State of Alabama )