Montgomery metropolitan area

The Montgomery, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area (commonly known as the Tri-Counties or the River Region) is a metropolitan area in central Alabama. As of 2020, the MSA had a population of 386,047, ranking it 142nd among United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas. That number is up +3.07% from the 2010 census number of 374,536.

Montgomery metropolitan area
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Montgomery, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Alabama State Capitol in 2016
Interactive Map of Montgomery–Selma, AL CSA   City of Montgomery   Montgomery, AL MSA   Selma, AL µSA
Coordinates: 32°21′42″N 86°16′45″W
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Largest city	Montgomery
Other cities	- Prattville  - Millbrook  - Wetumpka  - Selma
Area
• Total	2,786 sq mi (7,220 km2)
Population
• Total	386,047 (2,020)[1]
• Rank	142nd in the U.S.
• Density	131.4/sq mi (81.63/km2)
GDP [2]
• Total	$22.080 billion (2022)
Time zone	UTC−5 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (CDT)

Counties

• Autauga
• Elmore
• Lowndes
• Montgomery

Communities

Places with more than 200,000 inhabitants

• Montgomery (Principal city)

Places with 10,000 to 35,000 inhabitants

• Millbrook
• Prattville

Places with 1,000 to 10,000 inhabitants

• Blue Ridge (census-designated place)
• Coosada
• Eclectic
• Fort Deposit
• Hayneville
• Mosses
• Tallassee (partial)
• Wetumpka
• White Hall
• Pike Road

Places with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants

• Autaugaville
• Benton
• Billingsley
• Deatsville
• Elmore
• Gordonville
• Lowndesboro

Unincorporated places

• Booth
• Equality (part of Equality is in Elmore County)
• Letohatchee
• Davenport

Demographics

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 346,528 people, 129,717 households, and 90,298 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 57.32% White, 40.27% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.

The median income for a household in the MSA was $35,567, and the median income for a family was $42,304. Males had a median income of $31,881 versus $22,995 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $16,996.

Combined Statistical Area

The original Montgomery–Alexander City Combined Statistical Area (CSA) was made up of six counties in central Alabama. The statistical area included the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical area and the former Alexander City Micropolitan Statistical Area, composed of Coosa and Tallapoosa Counties. As of the 2000 Census, the CSA had a population of 400,205 (though a July 1, 2009 estimate placed the population at 417,965).^[4] In 2013, the United States Office of Management and Budget removed the Alexander City Micropolitan Statistical Area and Montgomery-Alexander City Combined Statistical Area from the list of metropolitan areas.^[5]

In September of 2018 the OMB reinstated Montgomery CSA. Officially named the Montgomery–Selma–Alexander City, AL CSA, it consisted of the 4 county Montgomery MSA, the Selma, AL (Dallas County) micropolitan area, and a re-added Alexander City (Coosa County and Tallapoosa County) micropolitan area. This seven-county area was, to date, the largest extent of the Montgomery area.

When the OMB revised its definitions in 2023, Alexander City was again removed from the CSA with Tallapoosa County added to the nearby Columbus–Auburn–Opelika combined statistical area and with Coosa County becoming part of the Talladega–Sylacauga Micropolitan Statistical Area.^[6]

The current CSA (Montgomery–Selma, AL CSA) consists of one metropolitan area and one micropolitan area, totaling five counties:

• Montgomery, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area
  • Autauga County
  • Elmore County
  • Lowndes County
  • Montgomery County

• Selma, AL Micropolitan Statistical Area
  • Dallas County

Politics

Presidential election results^[7]

Year	DEM	GOP	Others
2016	47.4% 78,178	49.5% 81,560	3.1% 5,057
2012	49.8% 84,149	49.5% 83,720	0.7% 1,240
2008	48.2% 82,009	51.2% 87,020	0.5% 948
2004	42.0% 60,622	57.6% 83,135	0.5% 675
2000	44.3% 56,522	54.3% 69,235	1.4% 1,826
1996	44.7% 53,897	51.1% 61,599	4.1% 4,980
1992	40.8% 51,884	48.8% 62,141	10.4% 13,248
1988	39.3% 40,205	59.8% 61,216	0.9% 944
1984	39.1% 42,337	60.0% 65,001	0.8% 913
1980	42.7% 41,837	53.3% 52,249	4.0% 4,000
1976	47.8% 39,659	50.6% 42,044	1.6% 1,338
1972	26.1% 18,540	71.7% 50,968	2.2% 1,584
1968	23.8% 16,513	12.1% 8,387	64.1% 44,476[8]
1964	–	78.0% 33,708	22.0% 9,515
1960	48.6% 14,981	49.6% 15,278	1.8% 555

For the first half of the 20th century, the Montgomery metropolitan area leaned towards the Democratic Party, as did the rest of the Solid South. It was one of the first regions in Alabama to flip towards the Republican Party, narrowly voting for Richard Nixon in 1960. With the one exception of George Wallace's third-party win in 1968, the Montgomery MSA would continue voting for Republicans, by varying margins, until Barack Obama's narrow victory there in 2012. No candidate has won the MSA by more than 3 percentage points in the most recent three presidential elections.

Transportation

• Interstate 65
• Interstate 85
• U.S. Highway 31
• U.S. Highway 80
• U.S. Highway 82
• U.S. Highway 231
• U.S. Highway 331

See also

• Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas
• Table of United States Combined Statistical Areas
• Alabama census statistical areas

References

1. "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010". United States Census Bureau, Population Division.^{[dead link]}
2. "Total Gross Domestic Product for Montgomery, AL (MSA)". Federal Reserve Economic Data. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "Table 2. Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009 (CBSA-EST2009-02)". 2009 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 23, 2010. Archived from the original (CSV) on April 20, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
5. OMB BULLETIN NO. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas. Office of Management and Budget. February 28, 2013.
6. "OMB Bulletin No. 23-01" (PDF). www.whitehouse.gov. July 21, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
7. "Our Campaigns". Retrieved July 22, 2020.
8. 43,585 (62.8%) to George Wallace

External links

• The River Region Online

32°21′42″N 86°16′45″W