50 Largest US Metropolitan Areas in 1996: Population Change from 1950 By 1997 Population
Rank	Metropolitan Area	1950	1990	Change from 1950	1996	Change from 1950
1	New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA CMSA	14,018,852	19,549,649	39.5%	19,938,492	42.2%
2	Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA CMSA	4,819,599	14,531,529	201.5%	15,495,155	221.5%
3	Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI CMSA	6,869,699	8,239,820	19.9%	8,599,774	25.2%
4	Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV CMSA	2,869,488	6,726,395	134.4%	7,164,519	149.7%
5	San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA CMSA	2,531,314	6,249,881	146.9%	6,605,428	160.9%
6	Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD CMSA	4,071,814	5,893,019	44.7%	5,973,463	46.7%
7	Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT CMSA	3,456,063	5,455,403	57.9%	5,563,475	61.0%
8	Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI CMSA	3,421,766	5,187,171	51.6%	5,284,171	54.4%
9	Dallas-Fort Worth, TX CMSA	1,136,144	4,037,282	255.3%	4,574,561	302.6%
10	Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX CMSA	919,767	3,731,029	305.6%	4,253,428	362.4%
11	Atlanta, GA MSA	726,789	2,959,500	307.2%	3,541,230	387.2%
12	Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA	579,017	3,192,725	451.4%	3,514,403	507.0%
13	Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA CMSA	1,120,448	2,970,300	165.1%	3,320,829	196.4%
14	Cleveland-Akron, OH CMSA	1,465,511	2,859,644	95.1%	2,913,430	98.8%
15	Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI MSA	1,151,053	2,538,776	120.6%	2,765,116	140.2%
16	Phoenix-Mesa, AZ MSA	331,770	2,238,498	574.7%	2,746,703	727.9%
17	San Diego, CA MSA	556,808	2,498,016	348.6%	2,655,463	376.9%
18	St. Louis, MO-IL MSA	1,719,288	2,492,348	45.0%	2,548,238	48.2%
19	Pittsburgh, PA MSA	2,213,236	2,394,811	8.2%	2,379,411	7.5%
20	Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO CMSA	612,128	1,980,140	223.5%	2,277,401	272.0%
21	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA	409,143	2,067,959	405.4%	2,199,231	437.5%
22	Portland-Salem, OR-WA CMSA	704,829	1,793,476	154.5%	2,078,357	194.9%
23	Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN CMSA	1,051,605	1,817,569	72.8%	1,920,931	82.7%
24	Kansas City, MO-KS MSA	814,357	1,582,874	94.4%	1,690,343	107.6%
25	Milwaukee-Racine, WI CMSA	1,066,533	1,607,183	50.7%	1,642,658	54.0%
26	Sacramento-Yolo, CA CMSA	277,140	1,481,220	434.5%	1,632,133	488.9%
27	Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, VA-NC MSA	601,177	1,444,710	140.3%	1,540,252	156.2%
28	Indianapolis, IN MSA	551,777	1,380,491	150.2%	1,492,297	170.5%
29	San Antonio, TX MSA	500,460	1,324,749	164.7%	1,490,111	197.7%
30	Columbus, OH MSA	503,410	1,345,450	167.3%	1,447,646	187.6%
31	Orlando, FL MSA	141,833	1,224,844	763.6%	1,417,291	899.3%
32	Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC MSA	197,052	1,162,140	489.8%	1,321,068	570.4%
33	New Orleans, LA MSA	685,405	1,285,262	87.5%	1,312,890	91.5%
34	Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT MSA	358,214	1,072,227	199.3%	1,217,842	240.0%
35	Las Vegas, NV-AZ MSA	48,289	852,646	1665.7%	1,201,073	2387.3%
36	Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY MSA	1,089,230	1,189,340	9.2%	1,175,240	7.9%
37	Hartford, CT MSA	406,534	1,157,585	184.7%	1,144,574	181.5%
38	Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC MSA	337,192	1,050,304	211.5%	1,141,238	238.5%
39	Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA MSA	897,500	1,134,350	26.4%	1,124,044	25.2%
40	Nashville, TN MSA	321,758	985,026	206.1%	1,117,178	247.2%
41	Rochester, NY MSA	487,632	1,062,470	117.9%	1,088,037	123.1%
42	Memphis, TN-AR-MS MSA	482,393	1,007,306	108.8%	1,078,151	123.5%
43	Austin-San Marcos, TX MSA	160,980	846,227	425.7%	1,041,330	546.9%
44	Oklahoma City, OK MSA	392,439	958,839	144.3%	1,026,657	161.6%
45	Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC MSA	238,089	858,485	260.6%	1,025,253	330.6%
46	Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI MSA	409,837	937,891	128.8%	1,015,099	147.7%
47	Jacksonville, FL MSA	304,029	906,727	198.2%	1,008,633	231.8%
48	West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL MSA	114,688	863,503	652.9%	992,840	765.7%
49	Louisville, KY-IN MSA	576,900	949,012	64.5%	991,765	71.9%
50	Dayton-Springfield, OH MSA	630,303	951,270	50.9%	950,661	50.8%

50 Largest US Metropolitan Areas in 1996: Population Change from 1950 By 1950 Population
Rank	Metropolitan Area	1950	1990	Change from 1950	1996	Change from 1950
1	New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA CMSA	14,018,852	19,549,649	39.5%	19,938,492	42.2%
2	Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI CMSA	6,869,699	8,239,820	19.9%	8,599,774	25.2%
3	Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA CMSA	4,819,599	14,531,529	201.5%	15,495,155	221.5%
4	Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD CMSA	4,071,814	5,893,019	44.7%	5,973,463	46.7%
5	Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT CMSA	3,456,063	5,455,403	57.9%	5,563,475	61.0%
6	Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI CMSA	3,421,766	5,187,171	51.6%	5,284,171	54.4%
7	Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV CMSA	2,869,488	6,726,395	134.4%	7,164,519	149.7%
8	San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA CMSA	2,531,314	6,249,881	146.9%	6,605,428	160.9%
9	Pittsburgh, PA MSA	2,213,236	2,394,811	8.2%	2,379,411	7.5%
10	St. Louis, MO-IL MSA	1,719,288	2,492,348	45.0%	2,548,238	48.2%
11	Cleveland-Akron, OH CMSA	1,465,511	2,859,644	95.1%	2,913,430	98.8%
12	Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI MSA	1,151,053	2,538,776	120.6%	2,765,116	140.2%
13	Dallas-Fort Worth, TX CMSA	1,136,144	4,037,282	255.3%	4,574,561	302.6%
14	Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA CMSA	1,120,448	2,970,300	165.1%	3,320,829	196.4%
15	Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY MSA	1,089,230	1,189,340	9.2%	1,175,240	7.9%
16	Milwaukee-Racine, WI CMSA	1,066,533	1,607,183	50.7%	1,642,658	54.0%
17	Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN CMSA	1,051,605	1,817,569	72.8%	1,920,931	82.7%
18	Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX CMSA	919,767	3,731,029	305.6%	4,253,428	362.4%
19	Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA MSA	897,500	1,134,350	26.4%	1,124,044	25.2%
20	Kansas City, MO-KS MSA	814,357	1,582,874	94.4%	1,690,343	107.6%
21	Atlanta, GA MSA	726,789	2,959,500	307.2%	3,541,230	387.2%
22	Portland-Salem, OR-WA CMSA	704,829	1,793,476	154.5%	2,078,357	194.9%
23	New Orleans, LA MSA	685,405	1,285,262	87.5%	1,312,890	91.5%
24	Dayton-Springfield, OH MSA	630,303	951,270	50.9%	950,661	50.8%
25	Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO CMSA	612,128	1,980,140	223.5%	2,277,401	272.0%
26	Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, VA-NC MSA	601,177	1,444,710	140.3%	1,540,252	156.2%
27	Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA	579,017	3,192,725	451.4%	3,514,403	507.0%
28	Louisville, KY-IN MSA	576,900	949,012	64.5%	991,765	71.9%
29	San Diego, CA MSA	556,808	2,498,016	348.6%	2,655,463	376.9%
30	Indianapolis, IN MSA	551,777	1,380,491	150.2%	1,492,297	170.5%
31	Columbus, OH MSA	503,410	1,345,450	167.3%	1,447,646	187.6%
32	San Antonio, TX MSA	500,460	1,324,749	164.7%	1,490,111	197.7%
33	Rochester, NY MSA	487,632	1,062,470	117.9%	1,088,037	123.1%
34	Memphis, TN-AR-MS MSA	482,393	1,007,306	108.8%	1,078,151	123.5%
35	Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI MSA	409,837	937,891	128.8%	1,015,099	147.7%
36	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA	409,143	2,067,959	405.4%	2,199,231	437.5%
37	Hartford, CT MSA	406,534	1,157,585	184.7%	1,144,574	181.5%
38	Oklahoma City, OK MSA	392,439	958,839	144.3%	1,026,657	161.6%
39	Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT MSA	358,214	1,072,227	199.3%	1,217,842	240.0%
40	Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC MSA	337,192	1,050,304	211.5%	1,141,238	238.5%
41	Phoenix-Mesa, AZ MSA	331,770	2,238,498	574.7%	2,746,703	727.9%
42	Nashville, TN MSA	321,758	985,026	206.1%	1,117,178	247.2%
43	Jacksonville, FL MSA	304,029	906,727	198.2%	1,008,633	231.8%
44	Sacramento-Yolo, CA CMSA	277,140	1,481,220	434.5%	1,632,133	488.9%
45	Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC MSA	238,089	858,485	260.6%	1,025,253	330.6%
46	Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC MSA	197,052	1,162,140	489.8%	1,321,068	570.4%
47	Austin-San Marcos, TX MSA	160,980	846,227	425.7%	1,041,330	546.9%
48	Orlando, FL MSA	141,833	1,224,844	763.6%	1,417,291	899.3%
49	West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL MSA	114,688	863,503	652.9%	992,840	765.7%
50	Las Vegas, NV-AZ MSA	48,289	852,646	1665.7%	1,201,073	2387.3%

50 Largest US Metropolitan Areas in 1996: Population Change from 1950 By Population Increase from 1950
Rank	Metropolitan Area	1950	1990	Change from 1950	1996	Change from 1950
1	Las Vegas, NV-AZ MSA	48,289	852,646	1665.7%	1,201,073	2387.3%
2	Orlando, FL MSA	141,833	1,224,844	763.6%	1,417,291	899.3%
3	West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL MSA	114,688	863,503	652.9%	992,840	765.7%
4	Phoenix-Mesa, AZ MSA	331,770	2,238,498	574.7%	2,746,703	727.9%
5	Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC MSA	197,052	1,162,140	489.8%	1,321,068	570.4%
6	Austin-San Marcos, TX MSA	160,980	846,227	425.7%	1,041,330	546.9%
7	Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA	579,017	3,192,725	451.4%	3,514,403	507.0%
8	Sacramento-Yolo, CA CMSA	277,140	1,481,220	434.5%	1,632,133	488.9%
9	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA	409,143	2,067,959	405.4%	2,199,231	437.5%
10	Atlanta, GA MSA	726,789	2,959,500	307.2%	3,541,230	387.2%
11	San Diego, CA MSA	556,808	2,498,016	348.6%	2,655,463	376.9%
12	Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX CMSA	919,767	3,731,029	305.6%	4,253,428	362.4%
13	Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC MSA	238,089	858,485	260.6%	1,025,253	330.6%
14	Dallas-Fort Worth, TX CMSA	1,136,144	4,037,282	255.3%	4,574,561	302.6%
15	Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO CMSA	612,128	1,980,140	223.5%	2,277,401	272.0%
16	Nashville, TN MSA	321,758	985,026	206.1%	1,117,178	247.2%
17	Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT MSA	358,214	1,072,227	199.3%	1,217,842	240.0%
18	Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC MSA	337,192	1,050,304	211.5%	1,141,238	238.5%
19	Jacksonville, FL MSA	304,029	906,727	198.2%	1,008,633	231.8%
20	Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA CMSA	4,819,599	14,531,529	201.5%	15,495,155	221.5%
21	San Antonio, TX MSA	500,460	1,324,749	164.7%	1,490,111	197.7%
22	Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA CMSA	1,120,448	2,970,300	165.1%	3,320,829	196.4%
23	Portland-Salem, OR-WA CMSA	704,829	1,793,476	154.5%	2,078,357	194.9%
24	Columbus, OH MSA	503,410	1,345,450	167.3%	1,447,646	187.6%
25	Hartford, CT MSA	406,534	1,157,585	184.7%	1,144,574	181.5%
26	Indianapolis, IN MSA	551,777	1,380,491	150.2%	1,492,297	170.5%
27	Oklahoma City, OK MSA	392,439	958,839	144.3%	1,026,657	161.6%
28	San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA CMSA	2,531,314	6,249,881	146.9%	6,605,428	160.9%
29	Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, VA-NC MSA	601,177	1,444,710	140.3%	1,540,252	156.2%
30	Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV CMSA	2,869,488	6,726,395	134.4%	7,164,519	149.7%
31	Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI MSA	409,837	937,891	128.8%	1,015,099	147.7%
32	Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI MSA	1,151,053	2,538,776	120.6%	2,765,116	140.2%
33	Memphis, TN-AR-MS MSA	482,393	1,007,306	108.8%	1,078,151	123.5%
34	Rochester, NY MSA	487,632	1,062,470	117.9%	1,088,037	123.1%
35	Kansas City, MO-KS MSA	814,357	1,582,874	94.4%	1,690,343	107.6%
36	Cleveland-Akron, OH CMSA	1,465,511	2,859,644	95.1%	2,913,430	98.8%
37	New Orleans, LA MSA	685,405	1,285,262	87.5%	1,312,890	91.5%
38	Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN CMSA	1,051,605	1,817,569	72.8%	1,920,931	82.7%
39	Louisville, KY-IN MSA	576,900	949,012	64.5%	991,765	71.9%
40	Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT CMSA	3,456,063	5,455,403	57.9%	5,563,475	61.0%
41	Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI CMSA	3,421,766	5,187,171	51.6%	5,284,171	54.4%
42	Milwaukee-Racine, WI CMSA	1,066,533	1,607,183	50.7%	1,642,658	54.0%
43	Dayton-Springfield, OH MSA	630,303	951,270	50.9%	950,661	50.8%
44	St. Louis, MO-IL MSA	1,719,288	2,492,348	45.0%	2,548,238	48.2%
45	Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD CMSA	4,071,814	5,893,019	44.7%	5,973,463	46.7%
46	New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA CMSA	14,018,852	19,549,649	39.5%	19,938,492	42.2%
47	Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA MSA	897,500	1,134,350	26.4%	1,124,044	25.2%
48	Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI CMSA	6,869,699	8,239,820	19.9%	8,599,774	25.2%
49	Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY MSA	1,089,230	1,189,340	9.2%	1,175,240	7.9%
50	Pittsburgh, PA MSA	2,213,236	2,394,811	8.2%	2,379,411	7.5%