Birmingham metropolitan area, Alabama

Greater Birmingham
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Birmingham, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area
Clockwise from top: Downtown Birmingham, Alabama Theatre in Downtown Birmingham, Old Mill in Mountain Brook, Aerial picture of Samford University in Homewood, Vulcan statue in Birmingham
Interactive Map of Birmingham– Cullman–Talladega, AL CSA   City of Birmingham   City of Hoover   Birmingham, AL MSA   Talladega–Sylacauga, AL µSA   Cullman, AL µSA
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Largest city	Birmingham
Principal cities	- Hoover  - Vestavia Hills  - Alabaster  - Homewood  - Trussville  - Bessemer  - Talladega  - Sylacauga  - Cullman
Area
• Total	11,830 km2 (4,566 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,115,289
• Rank	50th
• Density	84/km2 (217/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−5 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (CDT)
Area codes	205, 659
Website	www.birminghamal.org

The Birmingham metropolitan area, sometimes known as Greater Birmingham, is a metropolitan area in north central Alabama centered on Birmingham, Alabama, United States.

As of 2023^[update], the federal government defines the Birmingham, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area as consisting of seven counties (Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, and Walker) centered on Birmingham.^[1] The population of this metropolitan statistical area as of the 2020 census was 1,180,631, making it the 50th largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States as of that date.

The seven counties in the Birmingham metropolitan statistical area are combined with the Cullman micropolitan area (Cullman County) and the Talladega–Sylacauga Micropolitan Statistical Area (Talladega County and Coosa County) to form the federally defined Birmingham–Cullman–Talladega, AL Combined Statistical Area.^[1]

According to the United States Census 2020 census, the combined statistical area has a population of 1,415,988. It is the 42nd largest population sub-region in the United States, and the largest population region in Alabama, constituting roughly 1/4 of the state's population. It is the largest population region in Central Alabama. The northern counties of the Birmingham metro area specifically Blount and Cullman are also part of the North Alabama region also known locally as the Tennessee Valley and are overlapped by the much larger Birmingham metropolitan area despite its proximity to the nearby Huntsville metro. Nearby counties Tuscaloosa, Etowah, and Calhoun, while not officially a part of Greater Birmingham, contribute significantly to the region's economy. The Birmingham media market covers these counties as well. According to the List of metropolitan areas of Alabama, Birmingham is the largest urban area and metro in Alabama. Birmingham is part of the Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion containing an estimated 19 million people, while many residents also consider themselves part of the Deep South. It is classified as Southeast by the U.S. Census and also falls in the geographic area of the Upland South due to its location at the southern terminus of the Appalachian foothills. The entire MSA and CSA are within the congressional Appalachian Regional Commission's definition of Appalachia.