Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts

The Springfield metropolitan area, also known as Greater Springfield, is a region that is socio-economically and culturally tied to the City of <a href="/facts/Springfield%2c_Massachusetts/MhlE56c4">Springfield, Massachusetts</a>. The U.S. <a href="/facts/Office_of_Management_and_Budget/CgNXcMkS">Office of Management and Budget</a> defines the Springfield, MA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as consisting of three counties in <a href="/facts/Western_Massachusetts/cT0HtQIn">Western Massachusetts</a>. As of 2023, the metropolitan area's population was estimated at 460,291, making it the <a href="/facts/Metropolitan_statistical_area/Y2yX0KJg">117th-largest metropolitan area</a> in the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a>. 
Historically, the census has also identified the region as "Springfield–Holyoke, Mass.–Conn." as those cities were the area's population centers as recently as 1980; since that time the population has become further distributed, including new growth in <a href="/facts/Amherst%2c_Massachusetts/u8KnDYqx">Amherst</a>, <a href="/facts/Westfield%2c_Massachusetts/YcjSHLRu">Westfield</a>, and <a href="/facts/West_Springfield%2c_Massachusetts/4IVuJBgy">West Springfield</a>, and Northern Connecticut. Greater Springfield is one of two <a href="/facts/Combined_statistical_area/tq6UTDlD">combined statistical areas</a> in Massachusetts; the other is <a href="/facts/Greater_Boston/cF49dxCK">Greater Boston</a>.
An alternative system of measuring <a href="/facts/New_England/ufw2BmSl">New England</a> metropolitan areas was developed, called the <a href="/facts/New_England_city_and_town_area/G9vbAq3B">New England city and town area</a> (NECTA) because, in <a href="/facts/New_England/ufw2BmSl">New England</a>, <a href="/facts/New_England_town/K0K2VnYm">towns</a> are a much more important level of government than counties. County government in New England is weak at best, and in <a href="/facts/Connecticut/LeDhYdJG">Connecticut</a>, <a href="/facts/Rhode_Island/WgrYmlzj">Rhode Island</a>, and most of <a href="/facts/Massachusetts/9uumCbFI">Massachusetts</a>, does not exist at all. In addition, major cities and surrounding towns are often much smaller in land area than in other parts of the United States. For example, Springfield is 33.2 sq. miles, whereas <a href="/facts/Fort_Worth%2c_Texas/NNBEqVe8">Fort Worth, Texas</a>, is 298.9 sq. miles, nearly 10 times larger in land area than Springfield. 
Because of the sizable discrepancy in land area, New England cities like Springfield feature much higher population densities. In addition, New England cities and towns have developed allegiances that transcend state borders; cities in Connecticut are included in Springfield's NECTA. This system is thought to better approximate New England's metropolitan areas because it uses New England's geographically smaller building blocks. In Springfield's case, its NECTA consists of 51 additional cities and towns surrounding the city.

Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts open-in-new

Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts