Montana statistical areas
Montana currently has seven statistical areas, as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). On July 21, 2023, the OMB designated five metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and two micropolitan statistical areas (μSAs) in Montana. The largest is the Billings MSA, the area around Montana’s biggest city, Billings.
Across the United States and Puerto Rico, the OMB has designated more than 1,000 statistical areas to help describe population clusters for government and planning.
What these terms mean:
- Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA): a county or group of counties that surround at least one densely populated core of 10,000 or more people, plus adjacent counties with strong social and economic ties to the core, measured by commuting.
- Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA): a CBSA with 50,000 or more people.
- Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA): a CBSA with 10,000 to 49,999 people.
- Combined Statistical Area (CSA): two or more adjacent CBSAs with a significant level of commuting between them (at least 15% total commuting).
- Primary Statistical Area (PSA): all CSAs, plus any CBSA not part of a CSA.
Montana’s seven areas reflect these definitions, with Billings MSA being the largest.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:59 (CET).