Columbus, GA-AL Metro Area
The Columbus, GA-AL metro area is made up of 7 counties in Georgia and Alabama; the largest are Muscogee County, Russell County, and Harris County. About 324,830 people lived there on July 1, 2025 (Census estimate), 1.2% fewer than in April 2020.
- Population, July 2025
- 324,830 1.2% fewer than in April 2020
- Type
- Metropolitan statistical area
- Counties
- 7: 3 central, 4 outlying
- Land area
- 2,786 sq mi (7,216 km²)
- Time zone
- Eastern Time, Central TimeUTC-05:00 in January; UTC-04:00 in July
- Combined statistical area
- Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL
- CBSA code
- 17980
Counties in the Columbus, GA-AL metro area, largest first
| County | Role | Population, July 2025 | Share of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muscogee CountyGeorgia | Central | 202,171 | 62.2% |
| Russell CountyAlabama | Central | 58,898 | 18.1% |
| Harris CountyGeorgia | Outlying | 37,280 | 11.5% |
| Chattahoochee CountyGeorgia | Central | 8,465 | 2.6% |
| Marion CountyGeorgia | Outlying | 7,676 | 2.4% |
| Talbot CountyGeorgia | Outlying | 5,709 | 1.8% |
| Stewart CountyGeorgia | Outlying | 4,631 | 1.4% |
A central county holds the area’s core, an urban area of at least 50,000 people. An outlying county is in the area because of commuting: at least a quarter of its workers have jobs in the central counties, or at least a quarter of the people working there live in them. A county belongs to one metro or micro area at most, and it counts whole, countryside included.
Principal city
- Columbus203,711 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.
Part of the Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL combined statistical area
OMB joins neighboring metro and micro areas into a combined statistical area when enough people commute between them. The other 2 areas in this one, largest first:
- Auburn-Opelika, AL Metro Area208,013 people
- Alexander City, AL Micro Area40,953 people
Bordering metro and micro areas, nearest first
Areas with a county on this area’s edge. Distances are straight lines between the areas’ largest cities.
- Auburn-Opelika, AL Metro Area36 mi west
- LaGrange, GA-AL Micro Area37 mi north
- Thomaston, GA Micro Area41 mi northeast
- Eufaula, AL-GA Micro Area45 mi south
- Americus, GA Micro Area49 mi southeast
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metro Area90 mi north
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.
Find the metro area where you are now, find your county, or see every metro and micro area by population.