Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA Metro Area
The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro area is made up of 5 counties and independent cities in Virginia: Montgomery, Pulaski, Radford city, Giles, and Floyd, largest first. About 181,616 people lived there on July 1, 2025 (Census estimate), 0.1% fewer than in April 2020.
- Population, July 2025
- 181,616 0.1% fewer than in April 2020
- Type
- Metropolitan statistical area
- Counties and independent cities
- 5: 2 central, 3 outlying
- Land area
- 1,455 sq mi (3,767 km²)
- Time zone
- Eastern TimeUTC-05:00 in January; UTC-04:00 in July
- State
- Virginia
- CBSA code
- 13980
Counties and independent cities in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro area, largest first
| County or independent city | Role | Population, July 2025 | Share of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | Central | 98,434 | 54.2% |
| Pulaski County | Outlying | 33,586 | 18.5% |
| Radford city | Central | 17,243 | 9.5% |
| Giles County | Outlying | 16,564 | 9.1% |
| Floyd County | Outlying | 15,789 | 8.7% |
A central county or independent city holds the area’s core, an urban area of at least 50,000 people. An outlying county or independent city is in the area because of commuting: at least a quarter of its workers have jobs in the central counties and independent cities, or at least a quarter of the people working there live in them. A county or independent city belongs to one metro or micro area at most, and it counts whole, countryside included.
Principal cities, largest first
- Blacksburg45,446 people
- Christiansburg22,720 people
- Radford16,726 people
OMB names the area after its largest principal cities. A principal city is the area’s largest city, plus any other city that is very large or a big job center, and smaller ones with at least as many jobs as working residents (2020 Census and commuting figures). People counts are American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Bordering metro and micro areas, nearest first
Areas with a county or independent city on this area’s edge. Distances are straight lines between the areas’ largest cities.
- Roanoke, VA Metro Area26 mi east
- Bluefield, WV-VA Micro Area43 mi west
Before using this answer on a form
A metro or micro area is a statistical area that OMB draws for federal statistics. It is not a city, a local government or a mailing address, and it is not a measure of urban and rural: whole counties count, rural parts included. Programs that use metro areas, such as housing income limits or wage rates, can use their own version of these lists; check the program’s own list for an address.
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