Regional Powerhouses Driving the U.S. Economy

The concept of mega-regions dates back to 1957, when the economic geographer Jean Gottman coined the term “megalopolis” to describe the emerging economic hub that stretched from Boston to D.C. More than just a collection of cities or one giant city, a mega-region is greater than the sum of its parts.

U.S. East Coast at night

U.S. Mega-Region Population

U.S. Mega-Regions

Bos-Wash stretches from Boston through New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore to Washington, D.C., a total of 500 miles. If Bos-Wash were a separate country, it would be the fourth largest economy in the world, behind only the U.S., China, and Japan and ahead of Germany.

Chi-Pitts extends north and west from Pittsburgh through Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Its economy is just a bit smaller than the United Kingdom’s, about the same size as Brazil’s, and bigger than all of Russia’s – equivalent to the world’s seventh largest nation.

Char-lanta, includes Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Birmingham, Alabama. Its economy is bigger that South Korea’s, placing it among the world’s fifteen largest economies.

So-Cal runs from L.A. through San Diego and spills into Tijuana, Mexico. Its economy is bigger than all of Mexico’s and just a bit smaller than Spain’s, also putting it among the world’s fifteen largest economies.

So-Flo includes Miami, Orlando and Tampa. It's economic output, makes it about the same size as the Netherlands or Turkey, and would therefore rank among the world’s twenty largest economies.

Nor-Cal includes 14 metros surrounding San Francisco Bay. It ranks among the world’s twenty largest economies.

Tor-Buff-Chester stretches north from Buffalo and Rochester, taking in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal in Canada. It generates output of nearly $600 billion, more than Sweden, placing it among the world’s 25 largest economies.

Dal-Austin encompasses Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, Texas. It produces more than $700 billion in economic output, more than Sweden or oil-rich Saudi Arabia. It also would rank among the 25 biggest economies in the world.

Hou-Orleans stretches from Houston through Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans. It produces more than $750 billion in economic output, about the same as the Netherlands, placing it among the world’s 25 largest economies.

The Cascadia mega-region stretches up from Portland, Oregon through Seattle and into Vancouver, Canada.  It generates economic output of about $600 billion, comparable to Switzerland, also placing it among the world’s top 25 nations.

The Phoenix-Tucson region's economic output is just slightly less than Hong Kong. This makes it one of the fifty largest economies in the world.

The Denver-Boulder region's economic output is more than Finland, Greece or Ireland. If it were a nation, it would also rank among the world’s 50 largest economies.

Condensed from this Article >>