Southern United States
Major metropolitan areas
Table:
Rank

Metropolitan Statistical Area

State(s)

Population
(2018 est.)[186]

1

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington

TX

7,539,711

2

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land

TX

6,997,384

3

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria

VA-MD-WV-DC

6,249,950

4

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach

FL

6,198,782

5

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell

GA

5,949,951

6

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater

FL

3,142,663

7

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson

MD

2,802,789

8

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford

FL

2,572,692

9

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia

NC-SC

2,569,213

10

San Antonio-New Braunfels

TX

2,518,036

11

Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky*[187]

OH-IN-KY

2,190,209

12

Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos

TX

2,168,316

13

Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin

TN

1,930,961

14

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News

VA-NC

1,728,733

15

Jacksonville

FL

1,534,701

16

Oklahoma City-Norman

OK

1,396,445

17

Raleigh-Cary

NC

1,362,540

18

Memphis-Forrest City

TN-MS-AR

1,350,620

19

Richmond-Petersburg

VA

1,306,172

20

Louisville-Jefferson County*[188]

KY-IN

1,297,310

Leveraging the tabular data and the article excerpts listed.

Answer the following question: What is the population size of the statistical area that is home to 25 Fortune 500 companies and is located within the state named after a word in the Caddo language meaning `` friends ? `` ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex , officially designated Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget , is a metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Texas encompassing 13 counties . It is the economic and cultural hub of North Texas . Residents of the area also refer to it as DFW , or the Metroplex . The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex 's population is 7,539,711 according to the U.S. Census Bureau 's 2018 population estimates , making it the most populous metropolitan area in both Texas and the Southern United States , the fourth-largest in the U.S. , and the tenth-largest in the Americas . In 2016 , Dallas-Fort Worth ascended to the number one spot in the U.S. in year-over-year population growth . The region 's economy is primarily based on banking , commerce , insurance , telecommunications , technology , energy , healthcare , medical research , transportation and logistics . In 2020 , Dallas-Fort Worth is home to 25 Fortune 500 companies , the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the United States behind New York City ( 70 ) and Chicago ( 34 ) . In 2016 , the metropolitan economy surpassed Houston to become the fourth-largest in the U.S . Currently the region boasts a GDP of just over $ 620.6 billion in 2020 . The DFW metroplex encompasses 9,286 square miles ( 24,100 km2 ) of total area : 8,991 sq mi ( 23,290 km2 ) is land , while 295 sq mi ( 760 km2 ) is water , making it larger in area than the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined .
Texas ( /ˈtɛksəs/ , locally /ˈtɛksɪz/ ; Spanish : Texas or Tejas , pronounced [ ˈtexas ] ( listen ) ) is the second largest state in the United States by area ( after Alaska ) and population ( after California ) . Located in the South Central region , Texas shares borders with the states of Louisiana to the east , Arkansas to the northeast , Oklahoma to the north , New Mexico to the west , and the Mexican states of Chihuahua , Coahuila , Nuevo León , and Tamaulipas to the southwest , and has a coastline with the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast . Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S. , while San Antonio is the second-most populous in the state and seventh largest in the U.S. Dallas-Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and fifth largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country , respectively . Other major cities include Austin , the second-most populous state capital in the U.S. , and El Paso . Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State for its former status as an independent republic , and as a reminder of the state 's struggle for independence from Mexico . The Lone Star can be found on the Texas state flag and on the Texas state seal . The origin of Texas 's name is from the word taysha , which means friends in the Caddo language . Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault , Texas contains diverse landscapes common to both the U.S. Southern and Southwestern regions . Although Texas is popularly associated with the U.S. southwestern deserts , less than 10% of Texas 's land area is desert . Most of the population centers are in areas of former prairies , grasslands , forests , and the coastline . Traveling from east to west , one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods , to rolling plains and rugged hills , and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend . The term six flags over Texas [ note 1 ] refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory .
Greater Houston , designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land , is the fifth-most populous metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) in the United States , encompassing nine counties along the Gulf Coast in Southeast Texas . With a population of 6,997,384 people as of 2018 census estimates , Greater Houston is the second-most populous in Texas after the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex . The approximately 10,000-square-mile ( 26,000 km2 ) region centers on Harris County , the third-most populous county in the U.S. , which contains the city of Houston - the largest economic and cultural center of the South - with a population of 2.3 million . Greater Houston is part of the Texas Triangle megaregion along with the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex , Greater Austin , and Greater San Antonio . Greater Houston has historically been among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States ; it was the fastest-growing in absolute terms during the 2013-2014 census year , adding 156,371 people . The area grew 25.2% between 1990 and 2000 - adding more than 950,000 people - while the country 's population increased only 13.2% over the same period , and from 2000 to 2007 alone , the area added over 910,000 people . The Greater Houston Partnership projects the metropolitan area will add between 4.1 and 8.3 million new residents between 2010 and 2050 . Greater Houston has the seventh-highest metropolitan-area gross domestic product in the United States , valued at $ 490 billion in 2017 . A major trade center anchored by the Port of Houston , Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land has the second-highest trade export value of all MSAs , at over $ 84 billion in 2016 , accounting for 42% of the total exports of Texas . The MSA is home to the headquarters of 21 Fortune 500 companies , ranking fourth among all MSAs .
The Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area centered on Washington , D.C. , the capital of the United States . The area includes all of the federal district and parts of the U.S. states of Maryland , Virginia and West Virginia . It is part of the larger Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area . The Washington D.C. metropolitan area is one of the most educated and most affluent metropolitan areas in the US . The metro area anchors the southern end of the densely populated Northeast megalopolis with an estimated total population of 6,216,589 as of the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau estimate [ update ] , making it the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the nation and the largest metropolitan area in the Census Bureau 's South Atlantic division .
Virginia ( /vərˈdʒɪniə/ ( listen ) ) , officially the Commonwealth of Virginia , is a state in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States located between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains . The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay , which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna . The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond ; Virginia Beach is the most populous city , and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision . The Commonwealth 's estimated population as of 2018 [ update ] is over 8.5 million . The area 's history begins with several indigenous groups , including the Powhatan . In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent English colony in the New World . Virginia 's state nickname , the Old Dominion , is a reference to this status . Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony 's early politics and plantation economy . Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution . In the American Civil War , Virginia 's Secession Convention resolved to join the Confederacy , and Virginia 's First Wheeling Convention resolved to remain in the Union ; that led to the creation of West Virginia . Although the Commonwealth was under one-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction , both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia . The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World .
Maryland ( US : /ˈmɛrələnd/ ( listen ) MERR-ə-lənd ) [ a ] is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States , bordering Virginia , West Virginia , and the District of Columbia to its south and west ; Pennsylvania to its north ; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to its east . The state 's largest city is Baltimore , and its capital is Annapolis . Among its occasional nicknames are Old Line State , the Free State , and the Chesapeake Bay State . It is named after the English queen Henrietta Maria , known in England as Queen Mary , who was the wife of King Charles I. Sixteen of Maryland 's twenty-three counties , as well as the city of Baltimore , border the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay estuary and its many tributaries , which combined total more than 4,000 miles of shoreline . Although one of the smallest states in the U.S. , it features a variety of climates and topographical features that have earned it the moniker of America in Miniature . In a similar vein , Maryland 's geography , culture , and history combine elements of the Mid-Atlantic , Northeastern , and South Atlantic regions of the country . Before its coastline was explored by Europeans in the 16th century , Maryland was inhabited by several groups of Native Americans , mostly by the Algonquin , and to a lesser degree by the Iroquois and Sioux . As one of the original Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain , Maryland was founded by George Calvert , a Catholic convert who sought to provide a religious haven for Catholics persecuted in England . In 1632 , Charles I of England granted Calvert a colonial charter , naming the colony after his wife , Queen Mary ( Henrietta Maria of France ) . Unlike the Pilgrims and Puritans , who rejected Catholicism in their settlements , Calvert envisioned a colony where people of different religious sects would coexist under the principle of toleration . Accordingly , in 1649 the Maryland General Assembly passed an Act Concerning Religion , which enshrined this principle by penalizing anyone who reproached a fellow Marylander based on religious affiliation . Nevertheless , religious strife was common in the early years , and Catholics remained a minority , albeit in greater numbers than in any other English colony .
West Virginia ( /vərˈdʒɪniə/ ( listen ) ) is a state located in the Appalachian region of the Southern United States , and is also considered to be a part of the Mid-Atlantic Southeast Region . It is bordered by Pennsylvania to the north , Maryland to the east and northeast , Virginia to the southeast , Kentucky to the southwest , and Ohio to the northwest . West Virginia is the 41st largest state by area , and is ranked 38th in population . The capital and largest city is Charleston . West Virginia became a state following the Wheeling Conventions of 1861 , at the start of the American Civil War . Delegates from the Unionist counties of northwestern Virginia decided to break away from Virginia , which also included secessionist counties in the new state . West Virginia was admitted to the Union on June 20 , 1863 , and was a key border state during the war . It was the only state to form by separating from a Confederate state , the first to separate from any state since Maine separated from Massachusetts , and was one of two states admitted to the Union during the American Civil War ( the other being Nevada ) . While a portion of its residents held slaves , most of the residents were yeoman farmers , and the delegates provided for gradual abolition of slavery in the new state Constitution . The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States . However , the Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies the state as a part of the Mid-Atlantic region . The northern panhandle extends adjacent to Pennsylvania and Ohio , with the West Virginia cities of Wheeling and Weirton just across the border from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area , while Bluefield is less than 70 miles ( 110 km ) from North Carolina .
Washington , D.C. , ( /ˈwɑːʃɪŋtən ˌdiːˈsiː/ ) formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as D.C. , Washington , or The District , is the capital of the United States . Founded after the American Revolution as the seat of government of the newly independent country , Washington was named after George Washington , the first president of the United States and a Founding Father . As the seat of the United States federal government and several international organizations , Washington is an important world political capital . The city , located on the Potomac River bordering Maryland and Virginia , is one of the most visited cities in the world , with more than 20 million tourists annually . The signing of the Residence Act on July 16 , 1790 , approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the country 's East Coast . The U.S. Constitution provided for a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress , and the District is therefore not a part of any U.S. state . The states of Maryland and Virginia each donated land to form the federal district , which included the pre-existing settlements of Georgetown and Alexandria . The City of Washington was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital . In 1846 , Congress returned the land originally ceded by Virginia , including the city of Alexandria ; in 1871 , it created a single municipal government for the remaining portion of the District . Washington had an estimated population of 702,455 as of July 2018 [ update ] , making it the 20th most populous city in the United States . Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city 's daytime population to more than one million during the workweek . Washington 's metropolitan area , the country 's sixth largest ( including parts of Maryland , Virginia and West Virginia ) , had a 2017 estimated population of 6.2 million residents .
The Miami metropolitan area , also known as the Greater Miami Area or South Florida , is the 72nd largest metropolitan area in the world and the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States . Located in southern Florida with 6,198,782 inhabitants as of 2018 , the Miami metropolitan area is the most populous in Florida and second largest in the southeastern United States . It extends about 120 miles ( 190 km ) from north to south . The metropolitan area is defined by the Office of Management and Budget as the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach , FL ( MSA ) , consisting of Miami-Dade , Broward , and Palm Beach counties , a metropolitan statistical area used for statistical purposes by the United States Census Bureau and other agencies . Its land area is 6,137 sq . mi ( 15,890 km2 ) . Miami-Dade , Broward , and Palm Beach counties are the first , second , and third most populous counties in Florida , and Miami-Dade , with 2,761,581 people in 2018 , is the seventh most populous county in the United States . The three counties together are known as the Greater Miami Area and have principal cities including Miami , Fort Lauderdale , West Palm Beach , Hialeah , Pembroke Pines and Boca Raton . Besides its association with the South Florida region , which includes the Everglades and the Florida Keys , it is also synonymous with an area known collectively as the Gold Coast . The Census Bureau also defines a wider region based on commuting patterns , the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Port St. Lucie , FL Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , with an estimated population of 6,723,472 in 2016 . This includes the four additional counties of Martin , St. Lucie , Indian River , and Okeechobee . Because the population of South Florida is largely confined to a strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Everglades , the Miami urbanized area ( that is , the area of contiguous urban development ) is about 100 miles ( 160 km ) long ( north to south ) , but never more than 20 miles ( 32 km ) wide , and in some areas only 5 miles ( 8.0 km ) wide ( east to west ) .
Florida ( /ˈflɒrɪdə/ ( listen ) , Spanish pronunciation : [ floˈɾiða ] ) is the southernmost contiguous state in the United States . The state is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico , to the northwest by Alabama , to the north by Georgia , to the east by the Atlantic Ocean , and to the south by the Straits of Florida . Florida is the 22nd-most extensive ( 65,755 sq mi or 170,300 km2 ) , the 3rd-most populous ( 21,477,737 inhabitants ) , and the 8th-most densely populated ( 384.3/sq mi or 148.4/km2 ) of the U.S. states . Jacksonville is the most populous municipality in the state and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States . The Miami metropolitan area is Florida 's most populous urban area , with its capital being Tallahassee . Florida 's $ 1.0 trillion economy is the fourth largest in the United States . If it were a country , Florida would be the 16th largest economy in the world , and the 58th most populous as of 2018 [ update ] . In 2017 , Florida 's per capita personal income was $ 47,684 , ranking 26th in the nation . The unemployment rate in September 2018 was 3.5% and ranked as the 18th in the United States . Florida exports nearly $ 55 billion in goods made in the state , the 8th highest among all states . The Miami Metropolitan Area is by far the largest urban economy in Florida and the 12th largest in the United States with a GDP of $ 345 billion as of 2017 [ update ] . This is more than twice the number of the next metro area , the Tampa Bay Area , which has a GDP of $ 145 billion .
Metro Atlanta , designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta , GA Metropolitan Statistical Area , is the most populous metro area in the US state of Georgia and the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) in the United States . Its economic , cultural and demographic center is Atlanta , and has an estimated 2018 population of 5,949,951 according to the U.S. Census Bureau . The metro area forms the core of a broader trading area , the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke-Sandy Springs Combined Statistical Area . The Combined Statistical Area spans up to 39 counties in north Georgia and has an estimated 2017 population of 6,555,956 . Atlanta is considered a beta ( + ) world city . It is the third largest metropolitan region in the Census Bureau 's Southeast region behind Greater Washington and Greater Miami .
Georgia ( /ˈdʒɔːrdʒə/ ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . Georgia is the 24th largest in area and 8th-most populous of the 50 United States . Georgia is bordered to the north by Tennessee and North Carolina , to the northeast by South Carolina , to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean , to the south by Florida , and to the west by Alabama . Its 2019 estimated population was 10,617,423 , according to the U.S. Census Bureau . Atlanta , a beta ( + ) global city , is both the state 's capital and its largest city . The Atlanta metropolitan area , with an estimated population of 5.9 million people in 2018 , is the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States and contains about 56% of the entire state population . Founded in 1733 as a British colony , Georgia was the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies to be established . Named after King George II of Great Britain , the Colony of Georgia covered the area from South Carolina south to Spanish Florida and west to French Louisiana at the Mississippi River . On January 2 , 1788 , Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution . From 1802 to 1804 , western Georgia was split to form the Mississippi Territory , which later was admitted as the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi . Georgia declared its secession from the Union on January 19 , 1861 , and was one of the original seven Confederate States . Following the Civil War , it was the last state to be restored to the Union , on July 15 , 1870 .
The Tampa Bay area is a major populated area surrounding Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida in the United States .
The Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area , also known as Central Maryland , is a Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) in Maryland as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget ( OMB ) . As of the 2010 Census , the combined population of the seven counties is 2,710,489 . The MSA has the fourth-highest median household income in the United States , at $ 66,970 in 2012 .
The Orlando metropolitan area , commonly referred to as Greater Orlando , Central Florida , Metro Orlando , and for U.S. Census purposes as the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford , Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area , is a metropolitan area in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida . Its principal cities are Orlando , Kissimmee and Sanford . The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines it as consisting of the counties of Lake , Orange ( including Orlando ) , Osceola , and Seminole . According to the 2010 U.S. Census , the population of Greater Orlando is 2,134,411 , an increase of 51,990 new residents between 2009 and 2010 . By population , it is the third-largest metropolitan area in Florida , the fourth-largest in the southeastern United States , and the 22nd largest in the United States . The MSA encompasses 4,012 square miles ( 10,400 km2 ) of total area ( both land and water areas ) . The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford MSA is further listed by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as part of the Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona , Florida Combined Statistical Area . This includes the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area ( Volusia and Flagler counties ) and Lakeland-Winter Haven , FL Metropolitan Statistical Area ( Polk County ) , as well as the micropolitan areas of The Villages ( Sumter County ) and Wauchula ( Hardee County ) . As of the 2010 census , the Combined Statistical Area population was 3,447,946 , with a 2018 estimate at 4,096,575 .
The Charlotte metropolitan area , also known as Metrolina , is a metropolitan area of North and South Carolina within and surrounding the city of Charlotte , North Carolina . Located in the Piedmont , it is the largest metropolitan area in the Carolinas , and the fifth largest in the Southeastern United States behind the Miami metropolitan area , Atlanta metropolitan area , Tampa Bay Area , and Orlando metropolitan area . The Charlotte metropolitan area is well known for its auto racing history ( especially NASCAR ) . The region is headquarters to eight Fortune 500 and seven Fortune 1000 companies including Bank of America , Truist Bank ( BB & T and Suntrust Bank ) , Duke Energy , Honeywell , Sealed Air Corporation , Nucor Steel , and Lowe 's Home Improvement Stores . Additional headquarters include Harris Teeter , Food Lion , Bojangles , Cheerwine and Sundrop . It is home to one of the world 's busiest airports , [ citation needed ] Charlotte Douglas International Airport , and is also the Carolinas ' largest manufacturing region . The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) is defined as seven counties in North Carolina and three counties in South Carolina . The population of the MSA was 2,525,305 according to 2017 Census estimates . Charlotte is the 16th largest city and 22nd largest metro area in the United States . Charlotte is the 2nd largest city in the Southeast . The Charlotte-Concord Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) is a regional population area including parts of North Carolina and South Carolina with a population of 2,632,249 according to the 2018 Census estimates . The aforementioned MSA is the only metropolitan area ( as defined since 2012 ) included in the CSA , but there are two included micropolitan areas : Albemarle and Shelby .
North Carolina ( /ˌkærəˈlaɪnə/ ( listen ) ) is a U.S. state located in the southeastern region of the United States . North Carolina is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the 50 United States . It is bordered by Virginia to the north , the Atlantic Ocean to the east , Georgia and South Carolina to the south , and Tennessee to the west . Raleigh is the state 's capital and Charlotte is its largest city . The Charlotte metropolitan area , with an estimated population of 2,569,213 in 2018 , is the most populous metropolitan area in North Carolina , the 23rd-most populous in the United States , and the largest banking center in the nation after New York City . The Raleigh metropolitan area is the second-largest metropolitan area in the state , with an estimated population of 1,362,540 in 2018 , and is home to the largest research park in the United States , Research Triangle Park . North Carolina was established as a royal colony in 1729 and is one of the original Thirteen Colonies . North Carolina is named in honor of King Charles I of England who first formed the English colony , with Carolus being Latin for Charles . On November 21 , 1789 , North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the United States Constitution . In the run-up to the American Civil War , North Carolina declared its secession from the Union on May 20 , 1861 , becoming the last of eleven states to join the Confederate States . Following the Civil War , the state was restored to the Union on June 25 , 1868 . On December 17 , 1903 , Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully piloted the world 's first controlled , sustained flight of a powered , heavier-than-air aircraft at Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina 's Outer Banks .
South Carolina ( /ˌkærəˈlaɪnə/ ( listen ) ) is a state in the Southeastern United States and the easternmost of the Deep South . It is bordered to the north by North Carolina , to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean , and to the southwest by Georgia across the Savannah River . South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on May 23 , 1788 . It also became the first state to vote in favor of secession from the Union on December 20 , 1860 . After the American Civil War , it was readmitted into the United States on June 25 , 1868 . South Carolina is the 40th most extensive and 23rd most populous U.S. state . Its GDP as of 2013 was $ 183.6 billion , with an annual growth rate of 3.13% . South Carolina is composed of 46 counties . The capital is Columbia with a population of 133,451 in 2018 ; while its largest city is Charleston with a 2018 population of 136,208 . The Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin metropolitan area is the largest in the state , with a 2018 population estimate of 906,626 . South Carolina is named in honor of King Charles I of England , who first formed the English colony , with Carolus being Latin for Charles .
San Antonio-New Braunfels ( or Greater San Antonio ) is an eight-county metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Texas defined by the Office of Management and Budget ( OMB ) . The metropolitan area straddles South Texas and Central Texas and is on the southwestern corner of the Texas Triangle . The official 2018 U.S. Census estimate showed the metropolitan area 's population at 2,518,036 - up from a reported 1,711,103 in 2000 - making it the 24th largest metropolitan area in the United States . Austin-Round Rock lies about 80 miles northeast of Greater San Antonio . San Antonio-New Braunfels is the third-largest metro area in Texas , after Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land .
The Cincinnati metropolitan area , informally known as Greater Cincinnati or the Greater Cincinnati Tri-State Area , is a metropolitan area that includes counties in the U.S. states of Ohio , Kentucky , and Indiana around the Ohio city of Cincinnati . The United States Census Bureau 's formal name for the area is the Cincinnati-Middletown , OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2010 U.S. Census , this MSA had a population of 2,114,580 , making Greater Cincinnati the 29th most populous metropolitan area in the United States , the largest metro area primarily in Ohio , followed by Cleveland ( 2nd ) and Columbus ( 3rd ) . The Census also lists the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville , OH-KY-IN Combined Statistical Area , which adds Clinton County , Ohio ( defined as the Wilmington , OH micropolitan area ) and Mason County , Kentucky ( defined as the Maysville , KY micropolitan area ) for a 2014 estimated population of 2,208,450 . The Cincinnati metropolitan area is considered part of the Great Lakes Megalopolis .
Ohio /oʊˈhaɪoʊ/ ( listen ) is a state in the East North Central region of the Midwestern United States . Of the fifty states , it is the 34th largest by area , the seventh most populous , and the tenth most densely populated . The state 's capital and largest city is Columbus . Ohio is bordered by Lake Erie to the north , Pennsylvania to the east , West Virginia to the southeast , Kentucky to the southwest , Indiana to the west , and Michigan to the northwest . The state takes its name from the Ohio River , whose name in turn originated from the Seneca word ohiːyo ' , meaning good river , great river or large creek . Partitioned from the Northwest Territory , Ohio was the 17th state admitted to the Union on March 1 , 1803 , and the first under the Northwest Ordinance . Ohio is historically known as the Buckeye State after its Ohio buckeye trees , and Ohioans are also known as Buckeyes . Ohio rose from the wilderness of Ohio Country west of Appalachia in colonial times through the Northwest Indian Wars as part of the Northwest Territory in the early frontier , to become the first non-colonial free state admitted to the union , to an industrial powerhouse in the 20th century before transitioning to a more information and service based economy in the 21st . The government of Ohio is composed of the executive branch , led by the governor ; the legislative branch , which comprises the bicameral Ohio General Assembly ; and the judicial branch , led by the state Supreme Court . Ohio occupies 16 seats in the United States House of Representatives . Ohio is known for its status as both a swing state and a bellwether in national elections . Seven presidents of the United States have been elected who had Ohio as their home state .
Indiana /ˌɪndiˈænə/ ( listen ) is a U.S. state in the Midwestern and Great Lakes regions of North America . Indiana is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 United States . Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis . Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th U.S. state on December 11 , 1816 . Indiana borders Lake Michigan to the northwest , Michigan to the north , Ohio to the east , Kentucky to the south and southeast , and Illinois to the west . Before becoming a territory , various indigenous peoples and Native Americans inhabited Indiana for thousands of years . Since its founding as a territory , settlement patterns in Indiana have reflected regional cultural segmentation present in the Eastern United States ; the state 's northernmost tier was settled primarily by people from New England and New York , Central Indiana by migrants from the Mid-Atlantic states and from adjacent Ohio , and Southern Indiana by settlers from the Southern states , particularly Kentucky and Tennessee . Indiana has a diverse economy with a gross state product of $ 359.12 billion in 2017 . Indiana has several metropolitan areas with populations greater than 100,000 and a number of smaller industrial cities and towns . Indiana is home to professional sports teams , including the NFL 's Indianapolis Colts and the NBA 's Indiana Pacers , and hosts several notable athletic events , including the Indianapolis 500 .
Kentucky ( UK : /kɛnˈtʌki/ ken-TUK-ee , US : /kən-/ ( listen ) kən- ) , officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky , is a state located in the Southern United States . Although styled as the State of Kentucky in the law creating it , ( because in Kentucky 's first constitution , the term state was used ) , Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth ( the others being Virginia , Pennsylvania , and Massachusetts ) . Originally a part of Virginia , in 1792 Kentucky split from it and became the 15th state to join the Union . Kentucky is the 37th most extensive and the 26th most populous of the 50 United States . Kentucky is known as the Bluegrass State , a nickname based on the bluegrass , a species of grass found in many of its pastures . One of the major regions in Kentucky is the Bluegrass Region in central Kentucky , which houses its two largest cities , Louisville and Lexington . It is a land with diverse environments and abundant resources , including the world 's longest cave system , Mammoth Cave National Park , one of the greatest lengths of navigable waterways and streams in the contiguous United States , and the two largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River . Kentucky is also known for horse racing , bourbon , moonshine , coal , My Old Kentucky Home historic state park , automobile manufacturing , tobacco , bluegrass music , college basketball , Kentucky Fried Chicken , and the Kentucky colonel .
Austin-Round Rock ( or Greater Austin ) is a five-county metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Texas , as defined by the Office of Management and Budget . The metropolitan area is situated in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest , and borders Greater San Antonio to the south . Austin-Round Rock is the 30th largest metropolitan area in the United States , with a population of 2,168,316 people and 16th largest GDP per Capita as of the 2018 U.S. census estimate . The metropolitan area is centered on the City of Austin - the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 11th-largest city in the United States with a population of 950,715 people . Austin 's largest suburbs are Round Rock , Cedar Park , Georgetown , San Marcos and Pflugerville .
The Nashville metropolitan area ( officially , the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin , TN Metropolitan Statistical Area ) is centered on Nashville , Tennessee , in the United States . It includes 13 counties in Middle Tennessee , reduced from 14 in September 2018 when Hickman County was removed . The Office of Management and Budget 's defines the metro area for statistical use by the United States Census Bureau and other agencies . The area is the 36th largest MSA in the United States and is the largest metropolitan area in the state of Tennessee . The metropolitan statistical area was first designated in 1950 and initially included only Davidson County . As surrounding counties increased in population and population densities and in the number of their residents employed in Davidson County , the OMB added new counties to the MSA . Today , the metro area includes Davidson and 12 other counties .
Tennessee ( /ˌtɛnəˈsiː/ ( listen ) , locally /ˈtɛnəsi/ ; Cherokee : ᏔᎾᏏ , romanized : Tanasi ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . Tennessee is the 36th largest and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States . Tennessee is bordered by eight states , with Kentucky to the north , Virginia to the northeast , North Carolina to the east , Georgia , Alabama , and Mississippi to the south , Arkansas to the west , and Missouri to the northwest . The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state , and the Mississippi River forms the state 's western border . Nashville is the state 's capital and largest city , with a 2017 population of 667,560 and a 2017 metro population of 1,903,045 . Tennessee 's second largest city is Memphis , which had a population of 652,236 in 2017 . The state of Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association , a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachians . What is now Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina , and later part of the Southwest Territory . Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state on June 1 , 1796 . Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 . Occupied by Union forces from 1862 , it was the first state to be readmitted to the Union at the end of the war . Tennessee furnished more soldiers for the Confederate Army than any other state besides Virginia , and more soldiers for the Union Army than the rest of the Confederacy combined .
Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water that serves as a wide channel for the James , Nansemond and Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell 's Point where the Chesapeake Bay flows into the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding metropolitan region located in the Southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina portions of the Tidewater region . Comprising the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News , VA-NC , metropolitan area and an extended combined statistical area that includes the Elizabeth City , NC , micropolitan statistical area and Kill Devil Hills , NC , micropolitan statistical area , Hampton Roads is known for its large military presence , ice-free harbor , shipyards , coal piers , and miles of waterfront property and beaches , all of which contribute to the diversity and stability of the region 's economy . The body of water known as Hampton Roads is one of the world 's largest natural harbors ( more accurately a roadstead or roads ) . It incorporates the mouths of the Elizabeth , Nansemond , and James rivers , together with several smaller rivers , and empties into the Chesapeake Bay near its mouth leading to the Atlantic Ocean . The land area includes a collection of cities , counties , and towns on the Virginia Peninsula and in South Hampton Roads . Some of the outlying areas further from the harbor may or may not be included as part of Hampton Roads , depending upon the organization or usage . For example , as defined for federal economic purposes , the Hampton Roads metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) includes two counties in northeastern North Carolina and two counties in Virginia 's Middle Peninsula . The Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News , VA-NC , MSA has a population of over 1.7 million , making it the 37th-largest metropolitan area in the United States . The Combined Statistical Area includes four additional counties in North Carolina , pushing the regional population to over 1.8 million residents , the 32nd largest CSA in the country . The area is home to hundreds of historical sites and attractions . The harbor was the key to Hampton Roads ' growth , both on land and in water-related activities and events . While the harbor and its tributaries were ( and still are ) important transportation conduits , at the same time they presented obstacles to land-based commerce and travel .
The Jacksonville metropolitan area , also called Greater Jacksonville or Metro Jacksonville , is the metropolitan area centered on the principal city of Jacksonville , Florida and including the First Coast of North Florida . According to the 2010 United States Census , the total population was 1,345,596 , with a 2017 estimate of 1,504,980 . The Jacksonville-St. Marys-Palatka , FL-GA Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) had a population of 1,631,488 in 2017 and was the 34th largest CSA in the United States . The Jacksonville metropolitan area is the 40th largest in the country and the fourth largest in the State of Florida , behind the Miami , Tampa , and Orlando metropolitan areas .
The Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area is an urban region in Central Oklahoma . It is the largest metropolitan area in the state of Oklahoma and contains the state capital and principal city , Oklahoma City . It is often known as the Oklahoma City Metro ( sometimes shortened to simply the Metro ) , Oklahoma City Metroplex , or Greater Oklahoma City in addition to the nicknames Oklahoma City itself is known for ( such as O.K.C . or 'the 405 ' ) . The cities and towns within a radius of roughly 25 miles from downtown Oklahoma City make up the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area . Counties in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area include Canadian , Cleveland , Grady , Lincoln , Logan , McClain , and Oklahoma . According to the 2010 U.S. Census , the metropolitan region had a population of 1,252,987 . The micro urban area of Shawnee ( in Pottawatomie County ) is included in Oklahoma City 's Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) which brings the area population to 1,430,327 . The Oklahoma City - Shawnee CSA is also included as part of the I-35 Megalopolis .
Oklahoma City ( /oʊkləˌhoʊmə -/ ) , often shortened to OKC , is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma . The county seat of Oklahoma County , the city ranks 27th among United States cities in population . The population grew following the 2010 Census , with the population estimated to have increased to 649,021 as of July 2018 . The Oklahoma City metropolitan area had a population of 1,396,445 , and the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area had a population of 1,469,124 residents , making it Oklahoma 's largest municipality and metropolitan area by population . Oklahoma City 's city limits extend somewhat into Canadian , Cleveland , and Pottawatomie counties , though much of those areas outside the core Oklahoma County area are suburban tracts or protected rural zones ( watershed ) . The city ranks as the eighth-largest city in the United States by total area when including consolidated city-counties ; it is the second largest city in the United States by total area , following Houston , when not including consolidated cities . Lying in the Great Plains region , Oklahoma City has one of the world 's largest livestock markets . Oil , natural gas , petroleum products and related industries are the largest sector of the local economy . The city is in the middle of an active oil field and oil derricks dot the capitol grounds . The federal government employs large numbers of workers at Tinker Air Force Base and the United States Department of Transportation 's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center ( these two sites house several offices of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Department 's Enterprise Service Center , respectively ) . Oklahoma City is on the I-35 Corridor , which is one of the primary travel corridors south into neighboring Texas and Mexico and north towards Wichita and Kansas City . Located in the state 's Frontier Country region , the city 's northeast section lies in an ecological region known as the Cross Timbers .
The Research Triangle , commonly referred to as simply The Triangle , is a region in the Piedmont of North Carolina in the United States , anchored by the three major research universities of North Carolina State University , Duke University , and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , as well as the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill . The nine-county region , officially named the Raleigh-Durham-Cary combined statistical area ( CSA ) , comprises the Raleigh-Cary and Durham-Chapel Hill Metropolitan Statistical Areas and the Henderson Micropolitan Statistical Area . A 2018 Census estimate put the population at 2,238,315 , making it the second largest combined statistical area in the state of North Carolina behind Charlotte CSA , although two counties have since been moved out of the CSA . The Raleigh-Durham television market includes a broader 24-county area which includes Fayetteville , North Carolina , and has a population of 2,726,000 persons . The Triangle name was cemented in the public consciousness in the 1950s with the creation of Research Triangle Park , home to numerous tech companies and enterprises . Although the name is now used to refer to the geographic region , the Triangle originally referred to the universities , whose research facilities , and the educated workforce they provide , have historically served as a major attraction for businesses located in the region . Most of the Triangle is part of North Carolina 's first , second , and fourth congressional districts . The region is sometimes confused with The Triad , which is a North Carolina region adjacent to and directly west of the Triangle comprising Greensboro , Winston-Salem , and High Point , among other cities .
The Memphis-Forrest City Combined Statistical Area , TN-MS-AR ( CSA ) is the commercial and cultural hub of The Mid-South or Ark-Miss-Tenn . The census defined combined statistical area covers ten counties in three states - Tennessee , Mississippi , and Arkansas . As of census 2010 the MSA had a population of 1,324,108 . The Forrest City Micropolitan area was added to the Memphis area in 2012 to form the Memphis-Forrest City Combined Statistical area and had a population of 1,369,548 according to census estimates . The greater Mid-South area as a whole has a population of 2.4 million according to 2013 census estimates . This area is covered by Memphis local news channels and includes the Missouri Bootheel , Northeast Arkansas , West Tennessee , and North Mississippi .
Mississippi ( /ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/ ( listen ) ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . Mississippi is the 32nd largest and 34th-most populous of the 50 United States . Mississippi is bordered to the north by Tennessee , to the east by Alabama , to the south by the Gulf of Mexico , to the southwest by Louisiana , and to the northwest by Arkansas . Mississippi 's western boundary is largely defined by the Mississippi River . Jackson is both the state 's capital and largest city . Greater Jackson , with an estimated population of 580,166 in 2018 , is the most populous metropolitan area in Mississippi and the 95th-most populous in the United States . On December 10 , 1817 , Mississippi became the 20th state admitted to the Union . By 1860 , Mississippi was the nation 's top cotton producing state and enslaved persons accounted for 55% of the state population . Mississippi declared its secession from the Union on March 23 , 1861 , and was one of the seven original Confederate States . Following the Civil War , it was restored to the Union on February 23 , 1870 . Until the Great Migration of the 1930s , African Americans were a majority of Mississippi 's population . Mississippi was the site of many prominent events during the American Civil Rights movement , including the 1962 Ole Miss riots , the 1963 assassination of Medgar Evers , and the 1964 Freedom Summer murders .
Arkansas ( /ˈɑːrkənsɔː/ AR-kən-saw ) [ c ] is a state in the south central region of the United States , home to more than three million people as of 2018 . Its name is from the Osage language , of Siouan derivation ; it denoted their related kin , the Quapaw people . The state 's diverse geography ranges from the mountainous regions of the Ozark and the Ouachita Mountains , which make up the U.S . Interior Highlands , to the densely forested land in the south known as the Arkansas Timberlands , to the eastern lowlands along the Mississippi River and the Arkansas Delta . Arkansas is the 29th largest by area and the 33rd most populous of the 50 United States . The capital and most populous city is Little Rock , located in the central portion of the state , a hub for transportation , business , culture , and government . The northwestern corner of the state , such as the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Area and Fort Smith metropolitan area , is a population , education , and economic center . The largest city in the state 's eastern part is Jonesboro . The largest city in the state 's southeastern part is Pine Bluff . The Territory of Arkansas was admitted to the Union as the 25th state on June 15 , 1836 . Much of the Delta had been developed for cotton plantations , and the state landowners largely depended on enslaved African Americans as workers . In 1861 , Arkansas seceded from the United States and joined the Confederate States of America during the Civil War .
The Greater Richmond Region , the Richmond metropolitan area or Central Virginia , is a region and metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Virginia , centered on Richmond . The U.S. Office of Management and Budget ( OMB ) defines the area as the Richmond , VA Metropolitan Statistical Area , a Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) used by the U.S. Census Bureau and other entities . The OMB defines the area as comprising thirteen counties , including the principal cities of Richmond , Petersburg , Hopewell , and Colonial Heights . As of 2016 , it had a population of 1,263,617 , making it the 45th largest MSA in the country . The Greater Richmond Region is located in the central part of Virginia . It straddles the Fall Line , where the coastal plain and the Piedmont come together on the James River at Richmond and the Appomattox River at Petersburg . The English established each as colonial ports in the 17th century . The Greater Richmond Metro region is considered to be the southern extension of the Northeast megalopolis .
The Louisville metropolitan area or Kentuckiana , also known as the Louisville-Jefferson County , Kentucky-Indiana , metropolitan statistical area , is the 45th largest [ b ] metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) in the United States . The principal city is Louisville , Kentucky . It was originally formed by the United States Census Bureau in 1950 and consisted of the Kentucky county of Jefferson and the Indiana counties of Clark and Floyd . As surrounding counties saw an increase in their population densities and the number of their residents employed within Jefferson County , they met Census criteria to be added to the MSA . Jefferson County , Kentucky ( contiguous with Louisville Metro ) , plus twelve outlying counties - seven in Kentucky and five in Southern Indiana - are now a part of this MSA . One other Kentucky county was part of the MSA in the 2000 and 2010 U.S. Censuses , but was spun off by the Census Bureau into its own Micropolitan Statistical Area in 2013 . People living in any of the MSA are said to be living in the Louisville-Jefferson County Area . Because it includes counties in Indiana , the MSA ( or a large portion thereof ) is regularly referred to as Kentuckiana . It is now the primary MSA of the Louisville-Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Madison , Kentucky-Indiana combined statistical area ( or Louisville CSA , which adds Hardin County , Kentucky , LaRue County , Kentucky , Jefferson County , Indiana , and Nelson County , Kentucky ) . The combined statistical area created by the United States Bureau of the Census in 2000 and most recently redefined in 2013 comprises the Louisville-Jefferson County MSA , the Elizabethtown-Fort Knox , Kentucky , MSA , the Bardstown , Kentucky , micropolitan statistical area and the Madison , Indiana micropolitan statistical area .