Roanoke, VA Metro Area
The Roanoke, VA metro area is made up of 6 counties and independent cities in Virginia: Roanoke city, Roanoke, Franklin, Botetourt, Salem city, and Craig, largest first. About 316,547 people lived there on July 1, 2025 (Census estimate), 0.4% more than in April 2020.
- Population, July 2025
- 316,547 0.4% more than in April 2020
- Type
- Metropolitan statistical area
- Counties and independent cities
- 6: 4 central, 2 outlying
- Land area
- 1,868 sq mi (4,837 km²)
- Time zone
- Eastern TimeUTC-05:00 in January; UTC-04:00 in July
- State
- Virginia
- CBSA code
- 40220
Counties and independent cities in the Roanoke, VA metro area, largest first
| County or independent city | Role | Population, July 2025 | Share of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke city | Central | 99,111 | 31.3% |
| Roanoke County | Central | 97,150 | 30.7% |
| Franklin County | Outlying | 55,526 | 17.5% |
| Botetourt County | Central | 34,144 | 10.8% |
| Salem city | Central | 25,816 | 8.2% |
| Craig County | Outlying | 4,800 | 1.5% |
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 city
- Roanoke98,355 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.
- Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA Metro Area26 mi west
- Martinsville, VA Micro Area41 mi south
- Lynchburg, VA Metro Area43 mi east
- Danville, VA Micro Area57 mi southeast
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.