Yesterday’s post got me thinking about more aspects of population and metropolitan areas. I decided to examine the relationship between the population of metropolitan areas and the population of each area’s core city. Basically, I wanted to know how Salt Lake City‘s population of 189,314 comprising only 8.1% of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area’s population of 2,350,274 ranks among other metropolitan areas. I put together the following table of metropolitan areas exceeding a half million in population and figured out how much of their populations were comprised of their core cities. Some core cities, like Colorado Springs, El Paso, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi comprise more than 60% of their metropolitan area populations. Surprisingly though were some of the cities on the other end of the spectrum. Atlanta, Miami, and Boston each comprise smaller portions of their metropolitan areas than does Salt Lake City.
|
Metropolitan Area |
Metropolitan Population |
Metropolitan Rank |
Core City Population |
Core City Rank |
Ratio of Core City Population to |
Ratio Rank |
|
Colorado Springs, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area |
668,353 |
84 |
431,834 |
36 |
64.6% |
1 |
|
El Paso-Las Cruces, TX-NM Combined Statistical Area |
1,045,180 |
58 |
672,538 |
18 |
64.3% |
2 |
|
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area |
2,234,003 |
31 |
1,382,951 |
8 |
61.9% |
3 |
|
Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX Combined Statistical Area |
511,319 |
103 |
312,195 |
49 |
61.1% |
4 |
|
Wichita-Arkansas City-Winfield, KS Combined Statistical Area |
672,393 |
82 |
385,577 |
43 |
57.3% |
5 |
|
Jacksonville-St. Marys-Palatka, |
1,502,515 |
39 |
836,507 |
13 |
55.7% |
6 |
|
Tucson-Nogales, AZ Combined Statistical Area |
1,039,697 |
59 |
524,295 |
30 |
50.4% |
7 |
|
Memphis-Forrest City, TN-MS-AR Combined Statistical Area |
1,369,548 |
45 |
655,155 |
19 |
47.8% |
8 |
|
Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM Combined Statistical Area |
1,162,777 |
53 |
555,417 |
29 |
47.8% |
9 |
|
Fresno-Madera, CA Combined Statistical Area |
1,100,113 |
55 |
505,882 |
31 |
46.0% |
10 |
|
Austin-Round Rock, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area |
1,834,303 |
36 |
842,592 |
12 |
45.9% |
11 |
|
Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA Combined Statistical Area |
922,051 |
63 |
421,570 |
38 |
45.7% |
12 |
|
Oklahoma City-Shawnee, OK Combined Statistical Area |
1,367,325 |
46 |
599,199 |
26 |
43.8% |
13 |
|
Toledo-Port Clinton, OH Combined Statistical Area |
650,050 |
86 |
284,012 |
53 |
43.7% |
14 |
|
Lexington-Fayette–Richmond–Frankfort, KY Combined Statistical |
703,271 |
77 |
305,489 |
51 |
43.4% |
15 |
|
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area |
3,177,063 |
18 |
1,338,348 |
9 |
42.1% |
16 |
|
Bakersfield, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area |
856,158 |
68 |
358,597 |
45 |
41.9% |
17 |
|
Fort Wayne-Huntington-Auburn, IN Combined Statistical Area |
616,785 |
88 |
254,555 |
56 |
41.3% |
18 |
|
Louisville/Jefferson County–Elizabethtown–Madison, KY-IN Combined |
1,478,637 |
41 |
605,110 |
24 |
40.9% |
19 |
|
Reno-Carson City-Fernley, NV Combined Statistical Area |
587,004 |
93 |
231,027 |
59 |
39.4% |
20 |
|
Fayetteville-Lumberton-Laurinburg, NC Combined Statistical |
546,175 |
97 |
202,103 |
68 |
37.0% |
21 |
|
Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN Combined Statistical Area |
2,310,360 |
29 |
834,852 |
14 |
36.1% |
22 |
|
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area |
23,362,099 |
1 |
8,336,697 |
1 |
35.7% |
23 |
|
Urban Honolulu, HI Metropolitan Statistical Area |
976,372 |
61 |
345,610 |
47 |
35.4% |
24 |
|
Tulsa-Muskogee-Bartlesville, OK Combined Statistical Area |
1,122,259 |
54 |
393,987 |
40 |
35.1% |
25 |
|
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH Combined Statistical Area |
2,348,495 |
28 |
809,798 |
15 |
34.5% |
26 |
|
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area |
4,329,534 |
14 |
1,488,750 |
7 |
34.4% |
27 |
|
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area |
575,898 |
94 |
197,872 |
69 |
34.4% |
28 |
|
Houston-The Woodlands, TX Combined Statistical Area |
6,371,677 |
10 |
2,160,821 |
5 |
33.9% |
29 |
|
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro, TN Combined Statistical Area |
1,845,235 |
35 |
624,496 |
23 |
33.8% |
30 |
|
Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope, AL Combined Statistical Area |
604,726 |
91 |
194,822 |
71 |
32.2% |
31 |
|
Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC Combined Statistical Area |
2,454,619 |
25 |
775,202 |
16 |
31.6% |
32 |
|
Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d’Alene, WA-ID Combined Statistical |
674,610 |
81 |
209,525 |
65 |
31.1% |
33 |
|
Springfield-Branson, MO Combined Statistical Area |
529,141 |
99 |
162,191 |
78 |
30.7% |
34 |
|
Lancaster, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area |
526,823 |
100 |
159,055 |
80 |
30.2% |
35 |
|
Boise City-Mountain Home-Ontario, ID-OR Combined Statistical |
717,388 |
75 |
212,303 |
61 |
29.6% |
36 |
|
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area |
2,037,542 |
33 |
598,916 |
27 |
29.4% |
37 |
|
Madison-Janesville-Beloit, WI Combined Statistical Area |
843,793 |
69 |
240,323 |
58 |
28.5% |
38 |
|
Baton Rouge, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area |
815,298 |
70 |
230,058 |
60 |
28.2% |
39 |
|
Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA Combined Statistical Area |
742,936 |
72 |
206,688 |
66 |
27.8% |
40 |
|
Savannah-Hinesville-Statesboro, GA Combined Statistical Area |
516,154 |
102 |
142,022 |
82 |
27.5% |
41 |
|
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area |
9,899,902 |
3 |
2,714,856 |
3 |
27.4% |
42 |
|
Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL Combined Statistical Area |
679,743 |
80 |
183,739 |
74 |
27.0% |
43 |
|
Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ Combined Statistical Area |
2,247,056 |
30 |
596,424 |
28 |
26.5% |
44 |
|
Jackson-Vicksburg-Brookhaven, MS Combined Statistical Area |
669,133 |
83 |
175,437 |
76 |
26.2% |
45 |
|
Modesto-Merced, CA Combined Statistical Area |
784,031 |
71 |
203,547 |
67 |
26.0% |
46 |
|
New Orleans-Metairie-Hammond, LA-MS Combined Statistical Area |
1,452,502 |
42 |
369,250 |
44 |
25.4% |
47 |
|
Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC Combined Statistical Area |
1,803,080 |
37 |
447,021 |
34 |
24.8% |
48 |
|
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical |
9,331,587 |
4 |
2,160,821 |
4 |
23.2% |
49 |
|
Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR Combined Statistical Area |
893,610 |
66 |
196,537 |
70 |
22.0% |
50 |
|
Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical |
7,129,428 |
7 |
1,547,607 |
6 |
21.7% |
51 |
|
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Combined Statistical Area |
1,213,668 |
50 |
259,384 |
55 |
21.4% |
52 |
|
Lansing-East Lansing-Owosso, MI Combined Statistical Area |
534,964 |
98 |
113,996 |
92 |
21.3% |
53 |
|
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Combined Statistical Area |
1,998,808 |
34 |
423,179 |
37 |
21.2% |
54 |
|
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA Combined Statistical Area |
18,238,998 |
2 |
3,857,799 |
2 |
21.2% |
55 |
|
Visalia-Porterville-Hanford, CA Combined Statistical Area |
603,341 |
92 |
127,081 |
86 |
21.1% |
56 |
|
Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA Combined Statistical Area |
2,992,924 |
19 |
603,106 |
25 |
20.2% |
57 |
|
Lafayette-Opelousas-Morgan City, LA Combined Statistical Area |
611,774 |
90 |
122,761 |
90 |
20.1% |
58 |
|
Denver-Aurora, CO Combined Statistical Area |
3,214,218 |
17 |
634,265 |
22 |
19.7% |
59 |
|
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS Combined Statistical |
2,376,631 |
26 |
464,310 |
33 |
19.5% |
60 |
|
Syracuse-Auburn, NY Combined Statistical Area |
740,486 |
73 |
144,170 |
81 |
19.5% |
61 |
|
Sacramento-Roseville, CA Combined Statistical Area |
2,462,722 |
24 |
475,516 |
32 |
19.3% |
62 |
|
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Metropolitan Statistical |
547,307 |
96 |
104,124 |
93 |
19.0% |
63 |
|
Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL Combined Statistical |
936,142 |
62 |
171,279 |
77 |
18.3% |
64 |
|
Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area |
697,439 |
78 |
125,583 |
88 |
18.0% |
65 |
|
Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY Combined Statistical Area |
1,177,566 |
51 |
210,532 |
63 |
17.9% |
66 |
|
Charleston-Huntington-Ashland, WV-OH-KY Combined Statistical |
705,264 |
76 |
125,583 |
87 |
17.8% |
67 |
|
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK Combined Statistical Area |
7,095,411 |
8 |
1,241,162 |
10 |
17.5% |
68 |
|
Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point, NC Combined Statistical |
1,611,243 |
38 |
277,080 |
54 |
17.2% |
69 |
|
Richmond, VA Metropolitan Statistical Area |
1,231,980 |
48 |
210,309 |
64 |
17.1% |
70 |
|
Springfield-Greenfield Town, MA Combined Statistical Area |
697,258 |
79 |
117,126 |
91 |
16.8% |
71 |
|
Knoxville-Morristown-Sevierville, TN Combined Statistical Area |
1,091,370 |
56 |
182,200 |
75 |
16.7% |
72 |
|
Cape Coral-Fort Myers-Naples, FL Combined Statistical Area |
977,720 |
60 |
161,248 |
79 |
16.5% |
73 |
|
Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL Combined Statistical Area |
1,309,818 |
47 |
212,038 |
62 |
16.2% |
74 |
|
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area |
616,158 |
89 |
97,422 |
96 |
15.8% |
75 |
|
McAllen-Edinburg, TX Combined Statistical Area |
868,167 |
67 |
134,719 |
84 |
15.5% |
76 |
|
Seattle-Tacoma, WA Combined Statistical Area |
4,399,332 |
13 |
634,535 |
21 |
14.4% |
77 |
|
Columbia-Orangeburg-Newberry, SC Combined Statistical Area |
913,797 |
65 |
131,686 |
85 |
14.4% |
78 |
|
Kalamazoo-Battle Creek-Portage, MI Combined Statistical Area |
525,929 |
101 |
74,262 |
98 |
14.1% |
79 |
|
South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka, IN-MI Combined Statistical Area |
721,296 |
74 |
100,800 |
94 |
14.0% |
80 |
|
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Muskegon, MI Combined Statistical Area |
1,395,128 |
43 |
190,411 |
72 |
13.6% |
81 |
|
Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN Combined Statistical |
2,188,001 |
32 |
296,550 |
52 |
13.6% |
82 |
|
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton, PA Metropolitan Statistical |
563,629 |
95 |
76,089 |
97 |
13.5% |
83 |
|
Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI Combined Statistical Area |
5,311,449 |
12 |
701,475 |
17 |
13.2% |
84 |
|
Dayton-Springfield-Sidney, OH Combined Statistical Area |
1,079,417 |
57 |
141,359 |
83 |
13.1% |
85 |
|
Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical |
509,690 |
104 |
63,152 |
101 |
12.4% |
86 |
|
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metropolitan Statistical |
2,842,878 |
22 |
347,645 |
46 |
12.2% |
87 |
|
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area |
8,370,967 |
5 |
982,765 |
11 |
11.7% |
88 |
|
Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV Combined Statistical |
2,661,369 |
23 |
306,211 |
50 |
11.5% |
89 |
|
Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area |
3,497,711 |
16 |
390,928 |
42 |
11.2% |
90 |
|
St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL Combined Statistical |
2,900,605 |
21 |
318,172 |
48 |
11.0% |
91 |
|
Portland-Lewiston-South Portland, ME Combined Statistical Area |
625,726 |
87 |
66,214 |
100 |
10.6% |
92 |
|
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI Combined Statistical Area |
3,759,978 |
15 |
392,880 |
41 |
10.4% |
93 |
|
Youngstown-Warren, OH-PA Combined Statistical Area |
664,713 |
85 |
66,982 |
99 |
10.1% |
94 |
|
Orlando-Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL Combined Statistical Area |
2,920,603 |
20 |
249,562 |
57 |
8.5% |
95 |
|
Hartford-West Hartford, CT Combined Statistical Area |
1,488,570 |
40 |
124,893 |
89 |
8.4% |
96 |
|
Albany-Schenectady, NY Combined Statistical Area |
1,170,483 |
52 |
97,856 |
95 |
8.4% |
97 |
|
Salt Lake |
2,350,274 |
27 |
189,314 |
73 |
8.1% |
98 |
|
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT Combined Statistical |
7,991,371 |
6 |
636,479 |
20 |
8.0% |
99 |
|
Atlanta–Athens-Clarke County–Sandy Springs, GA Combined Statistical |
6,092,295 |
11 |
443,775 |
35 |
7.3% |
100 |
|
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Port St. Lucie, FL Combined Statistical |
6,375,434 |
9 |
413,892 |
39 |
6.5% |
101 |
|
North Port-Sarasota, FL Combined Statistical Area |
917,203 |
64 |
57,357 |
103 |
6.3% |
102 |
|
Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC Combined Statistical Area |
1,384,996 |
44 |
60,709 |
102 |
4.4% |
103 |
|
Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA Combined Statistical Area |
1,228,559 |
49 |
49,673 |
104 |
4.0% |
104 |
Metropolitan
| 189,314 |
