Tuscaloosa, AL Metro Area
The Tuscaloosa, AL metro area is made up of 4 counties in Alabama: Tuscaloosa, Pickens, Hale, and Greene, largest first. About 281,850 people lived there on July 1, 2025 (Census estimate), 4.5% more than in April 2020.
- Population, July 2025
- 281,850 4.5% more than in April 2020
- Type
- Metropolitan statistical area
- Counties
- 4: 1 central, 3 outlying
- Land area
- 3,493 sq mi (9,048 km²)
- Time zone
- Central TimeUTC-06:00 in January; UTC-05:00 in July
- State
- Alabama
- CBSA code
- 46220
Counties in the Tuscaloosa, AL metro area, largest first
| County | Role | Population, July 2025 | Share of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa County | Central | 241,368 | 85.6% |
| Pickens County | Outlying | 18,221 | 6.5% |
| Hale County | Outlying | 15,194 | 5.4% |
| Greene County | Outlying | 7,067 | 2.5% |
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 county, 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
- Tuscaloosa111,038 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 on this area’s edge. Distances are straight lines between the areas’ largest cities.
- Birmingham, AL Metro Area47 mi northeast
- Columbus, MS Micro Area54 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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