Roanoke metropolitan area
The Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area is a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in Virginia as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB).It is geographically similar to the area known as the Roanoke Region of Virginia, but while the latter includes Alleghany County, the former does not.The Census Bureau has since added them to the Roanoke MSA, which is the fourth largest in Virginia (behind Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and the Greater Richmond area), and the largest in the western half of the state.The OMB considers these independent cities to be county-equivalents for the purpose of defining MSAs in Virginia.Four counties and two independent cities are included in the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area.