The Birmingham metropolitan area, sometimes known as Greater Birmingham, is a metropolitan area in central Alabama centered on Birmingham, Alabama.
As of 2013, the federal government defines the Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area as consisting of seven counties (Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, and Walker) centered on Birmingham. The population of this metropolitan statistical area as of the 2010 census was 1,130,047, making it the 49th largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States as of that date. According to the United States Census 2013 estimate, the metro area has a population of 1,140,300.
The seven counties in the Birmingham–Hoover metropolitan statistical area are combined with the Cullman micropolitan area (Cullman County) and the Talladega-Sylacauga micropolitan area (Talladega County and Coosa County) to form the federally defined Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL Combined Statistical Area.
According to the United States Census 2013 estimate, the combined statistical area has a population of 1,313,105. 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. Nearby counties Tuscaloosa, Etowah, and Calhoun, while not officially a part of Greater Birmingham, contribute significantly to the region's economy.