The
U.S. State of Georgia currently has 46
statistical areas that have been delineated by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). On July 21, 2023, the OMB delineated 7
combined statistical areas, 15
metropolitan statistical areas, and 24
micropolitan statistical areas within Georgia. As of 2023, the largest of these is the
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL CSA, encompassing 42 counties in Georgia and one in
Alabama, anchored by Georgia's capital and largest city,
Atlanta.
Background
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has designated more than 1,000 statistical areas for the United States and Puerto Rico. 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, "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". 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.
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%. 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.
Table
The 46 United States statistical areas and 159 counties of the State of Georgia
Combined statistical area
|
2023 population (est.)
|
Core-based statistical area
|
2023 population (est.)
|
County
|
2023 population (est.)
|
Metropolitan division
|
2023 population (est.)
|
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL CSA
|
7,241,538 7,207,459 (GA)
|
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, 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
|
123,351
|
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
|
43,588
|
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 70,742 (GA)
|
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
|
Savannah-Hinesville-Statesboro, GA CSA
|
640,193
|
Savannah, GA MSA
|
424,935
|
Chatham County, Georgia
|
303,655
|
Effingham County, Georgia
|
71,541
|
Bryan County, Georgia
|
49,739
|
Statesboro, GA μSA
|
95,081
|
Bulloch County, Georgia
|
84,327
|
Evans County, Georgia
|
10,754
|
Hinesville, GA MSA
|
88,804
|
Liberty County, Georgia
|
69,210
|
Long County, Georgia
|
19,594
|
Jesup, GA μSA
|
31,373
|
Wayne County, Georgia
|
31,373
|
Macon-Bibb County--Warner Robins, GA CSA
|
436,853
|
Macon-Bibb County, GA MSA
|
236,074
|
Bibb County, Georgia
|
156,512
|
Monroe County, Georgia
|
30,625
|
Jones County, Georgia
|
28,969
|
Crawford County, Georgia
|
12,277
|
Twiggs County, Georgia
|
7,691
|
Warner Robins, GA MSA
|
200,779
|
Houston County, Georgia
|
171,974
|
Peach County, Georgia
|
28,805
|
none
|
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC MSA
|
629,429 424,692 (GA)
|
Richmond County, Georgia
|
205,414
|
Aiken County, South Carolina
|
177,130
|
Columbia County, Georgia
|
165,162
|
Edgefield County, South Carolina
|
27,607
|
Burke County, Georgia
|
24,438
|
McDuffie County, Georgia
|
21,799
|
Lincoln County, Georgia
|
7,879
|
Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL CSA
|
1,003,363 324,508 (GA)
|
Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA
|
580,971 154,564 (GA)
|
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
|
Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL CSA
|
566,030 265,024 (GA)
|
Columbus, GA-AL MSA
|
323,768 265,024 (GA)
|
Muscogee County, Georgia
|
201,877
|
Russell County, Alabama
|
58,774
|
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
|
Alexander City, AL μSA
|
40,677
|
Tallapoosa County, Alabama
|
40,677
|
none
|
Valdosta, GA MSA
|
151,118
|
Lowndes County, Georgia
|
120,712
|
Brooks County, Georgia
|
16,245
|
Lanier County, Georgia
|
10,452
|
Echols County, Georgia
|
3,709
|
Albany, GA MSA
|
145,508
|
Dougherty County, Georgia
|
82,645
|
Lee County, Georgia
|
33,872
|
Worth County, Georgia
|
20,273
|
Terrell County, Georgia
|
8,718
|
Brunswick-St. Simons, GA MSA
|
116,074
|
Glynn County, Georgia
|
86,172
|
Brantley County, Georgia
|
18,401
|
McIntosh County, Georgia
|
11,501
|
Thomasville, GA μSA
|
71,715
|
Thomas County, Georgia
|
45,649
|
Grady County, Georgia
|
26,066
|
Dublin, GA μSA
|
59,223
|
Laurens County, Georgia
|
49,941
|
Johnson County, Georgia
|
9,282
|
Jacksonville-Palatka-St. Marys, FL-GA CSA
|
1,847,313 58,118 (GA)
|
Jacksonville, FL MSA
|
1,713,240
|
Duval County, Florida
|
1,030,822
|
St. Johns County, Florida
|
320,110
|
Clay County Florida
|
232,439
|
Nassau County Florida
|
101,501
|
Baker County Florida
|
28,368
|
Palatka, FL μSA
|
75,955
|
Putnam County Florida
|
75,955
|
Kingsland, GA μSA
|
58,118
|
Camden County, Georgia
|
58,118
|
none
|
Waycross, GA μSA
|
56,668
|
Ware County, Georgia
|
36,243
|
Pierce County, Georgia
|
20,425
|
Douglas, GA μSA
|
51,610
|
Coffee County, Georgia
|
43,317
|
Atkinson County, Georgia
|
8,293
|
Tifton, GA μSA
|
50,463
|
Tift County, Georgia
|
41,554
|
Turner County, Georgia
|
8,909
|
Moultrie, GA μSA
|
46,167
|
Colquitt County, Georgia
|
46,167
|
Milledgeville, GA μSA
|
43,396
|
Baldwin County, Georgia
|
43,396
|
Vidalia, GA μSA
|
35,801
|
Toombs County, Georgia
|
27,040
|
Montgomery County, Georgia
|
8,761
|
Americus, GA μSA
|
33,416
|
Sumter County, Georgia
|
28,890
|
Schley County, Georgia
|
4,526
|
Tallahassee-Bainbridge, FL-GA CSA
|
421,732 29,087 (GA)
|
Tallahassee, FL MSA
|
392,645
|
Leon County Florida
|
296,913
|
Gadsden County Florida
|
43,833
|
Wakulla County Florida
|
36,449
|
Jefferson County Florida
|
15,450
|
Bainbridge, GA μSA
|
28,982
|
Decatur County, Georgia
|
28,982
|
none
|
Toccoa, GA μSA
|
27,228
|
Stephens County, Georgia
|
27,228
|
Cordele, GA μSA
|
19,631
|
Crisp County, Georgia
|
19,631
|
Fitzgerald, GA μSA
|
17,128
|
Ben Hill County, Georgia
|
17,128
|
Eufaula, AL-GA μSA
|
26,865 2,280 (GA)
|
Barbour County, Alabama
|
24,585
|
Quitman County, Georgia
|
2,280
|
none
|
Gilmer County, Georgia
|
32,860
|
White County, Georgia
|
29,026
|
Hart County, Georgia
|
27,556
|
Union County, Georgia
|
27,124
|
Fannin County, Georgia
|
25,955
|
Franklin County, Georgia
|
24,782
|
Tattnall County, Georgia
|
24,296
|
Putnam County, Georgia
|
23,129
|
Emanuel County, Georgia
|
23,119
|
Mitchell County, Georgia
|
21,114
|
Greene County, Georgia
|
20,722
|
Elbert County, Georgia
|
20,013
|
Washington County, Georgia
|
19,820
|
Banks County, Georgia
|
19,789
|
Dodge County, Georgia
|
19,776
|
Berrien County, Georgia
|
18,570
|
Appling County, Georgia
|
18,457
|
Cook County, Georgia
|
17,714
|
Rabun County, Georgia
|
17,442
|
Jefferson County, Georgia
|
15,183
|
Jeff Davis County, Georgia
|
14,906
|
Screven County, Georgia
|
14,174
|
Towns County, Georgia
|
13,035
|
Charlton County, Georgia
|
12,934
|
Bleckley County, Georgia
|
12,465
|
Macon County, Georgia
|
11,817
|
Bacon County, Georgia
|
11,124
|
Candler County, Georgia
|
11,059
|
Dooly County, Georgia
|
10,981
|
Telfair County, Georgia
|
10,920
|
Early County, Georgia
|
10,563
|
Pulaski County, Georgia
|
10,095
|
Wilkes County, Georgia
|
9,518
|
Irwin County, Georgia
|
9,120
|
Seminole County, Georgia
|
9,092
|
Wilcox County, Georgia
|
8,779
|
Wilkinson County, Georgia
|
8,725
|
Hancock County, Georgia
|
8,676
|
Jenkins County, Georgia
|
8,627
|
Taylor County, Georgia
|
7,758
|
Wheeler County, Georgia
|
7,081
|
Clinch County, Georgia
|
6,746
|
Treutlen County, Georgia
|
6,341
|
Randolph County, Georgia
|
6,078
|
Miller County, Georgia
|
5,747
|
Calhoun County, Georgia
|
5,457
|
Warren County, Georgia
|
5,106
|
Glascock County, Georgia
|
2,954
|
Clay County, Georgia
|
2,853
|
Baker County, Georgia
|
2,743
|
Webster County, Georgia
|
2,337
|
Taliaferro County, Georgia
|
1,609
|
State of Georgia
|
11,029,227
|
Primary statistical areas
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. Of the 46 statistical areas of Georgia, 24 are PSAs comprising seven combined statistical areas, four metropolitan statistical areas and 13 micropolitan statistical areas.
The 24 primary statistical areas of the State of Georgia
2020 rank
|
Primary statistical area
|
Population
|
2023 estimate
|
Change
|
2020 Census
|
Change
|
2010 Census
|
1
|
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL CSA (GA)
|
7,207,459 |
+3.56% |
6,959,899 |
+14.48% |
6,079,620
|
2
|
Savannah-Hinesville-Statesboro, GA CSA
|
640,193 |
+5.25% |
608,239 |
+13.30% |
536,844
|
3
|
Macon-Bibb County--Warner-Robins, GA CSA
|
436,853 |
+2.69% |
425,416 |
+6.38% |
399,888
|
4
|
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC MSA (GA)
|
424,692 |
+1.96% |
416,535 |
+10.26% |
377,789
|
5
|
Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL CSA (GA)
|
324,508 |
+1.54% |
319,579 |
+0.62% |
317,603
|
6
|
Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL CSA (GA)
|
265,024 |
−1.73% |
269,700 |
+5.83% |
254,841
|
7
|
Albany, GA MSA
|
145,508 |
−2.29% |
148,922 |
−3.60% |
154,487
|
8
|
Valdosta, GA MSA
|
151,118 |
+2.02% |
148,126 |
+6.12% |
139,588
|
9
|
Brunswick-St. Simons, GA MSA
|
116,074 |
+2.27% |
113,495 |
+1.00% |
112,370
|
10
|
Thomasville, GA μSA
|
71,715 |
−0.44% |
72,034 |
+3.30% |
69,731
|
11
|
Dublin, GA μSA
|
59,223 |
+0.79% |
58,759 |
+0.59% |
58,414
|
12
|
Waycross, GA μSA
|
56,668 |
+1.25% |
55,967 |
+1.63% |
55,070
|
13
|
Jacksonville-Kingsland-Palatka, FL-GA CSA (GA)
|
58,118 |
+6.12% |
54,768 |
+8.42% |
50,513
|
14
|
Douglas, GA μSA
|
51,610 |
+0.45% |
51,378 |
+1.28% |
50,731
|
15
|
Tifton, GA μSA
|
50,463 |
+0.22% |
50,350 |
+2.65% |
49,048
|
16
|
Moultrie, GA μSA
|
46,167 |
+0.59% |
45,898 |
+0.88% |
45,498
|
17
|
Milledgeville, GA μSA
|
43,396 |
−0.92% |
43,799 |
−4.20% |
45,720
|
18
|
Vidalia, GA μSA
|
35,801 |
+0.45% |
35,640 |
−1.94% |
36,346
|
19
|
Americus, GA μSA
|
33,416 |
−2.19% |
34,163 |
−9.69% |
37,829
|
20
|
Tallahassee-Bainbridge, FL-GA CSA (GA)
|
29,087 |
−0.95% |
29,367 |
+5.48% |
27,842
|
21
|
Toccoa, GA μSA
|
27,228 |
+1.66% |
26,784 |
+2.33% |
26,175
|
22
|
Cordele, GA μSA
|
19,631 |
−2.47% |
20,128 |
−14.13% |
23,439
|
23
|
Fitzgerald, GA μSA
|
17,128 |
−0.38% |
17,194 |
−2.50% |
17,634
|
24
|
Eufaula, AL-GA μSA (GA)
|
2,280 |
+2.01% |
2,235 |
−11.06% |
2,513
|
|
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL CSA
|
7,241,538 |
+3.53% |
6,994,671 |
+14.41% |
6,113,835
|
|
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC MSA
|
629,429 |
+3.02% |
611,000 |
+8.17% |
564,873
|
|
Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL CSA
|
1,003,363 |
+2.89% |
975,226 |
+4.93% |
929,449
|
|
Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL CSA
|
566,030 |
+0.37% |
563,967 |
+10.34% |
511,103
|
|
Jacksonville-Kingsland-Palatka, FL-GA CSA
|
1,847,313 |
+6.54% |
1,733,937 |
+17.58% |
1,474,728
|
|
Tallhassee-Bainbridge, FL-GA CSA
|
421,732 |
+1.95% |
413,665 |
+4.66% |
395,255
|
|
Eufaula, AL-GA μSA
|
26,865 |
−2.16% |
27,458 |
−8.38% |
29,970
|
See also