List of regions of the United States

This is a list of regions of the United States.

Interstate regions

Official regions of the United States

Many regions in the United States are defined in law or regulations by the federal government.

Census Bureau-designated regions and divisions

The United States Census Bureau defines four statistical regions, with nine divisions. The Census Bureau regions are "widely used â€¦ for data collection and analysis." The Census Bureau definition is pervasive.

Regional divisions used by the United States Census Bureau:

Region 1: Northeast
- Division 1: New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont)
- Division 2: Mid-Atlantic (New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania)
Region 2: Midwest (Prior to June 1984, the Midwest Region was designated as the North Central Region.)
- Division 3: East North Central (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin)
- Division 4: West North Central (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota)
Region 3: South
- Division 5: South Atlantic (Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia)
- Division 6: East South Central (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee)
- Division 7: West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas)
Region 4: West
- Division 8: Mountain (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming)
- Division 9: Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington)

Standard federal regions

The ten standard federal regions were established by OMB (Office of Management and Budget) Circular A-105, "Standard Federal Regions," in April, 1974, and required for all executive agencies. In recent years, some agencies have tailored their field structures to meet program needs and facilitate interaction with local, state and regional counterparts. However, the OMB must still approve any departures.

Region I: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Region II: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
Region III: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia
Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
Region V: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin
Region VI: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Region VII: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
Region VIII: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
Region IX: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Region X: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington

Federal Reserve banks

The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 divided the country into twelve districts with a central Federal Reserve Bank in each district. These twelve Federal Reserve Banks together form a major part of the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States.

Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
St. Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco

Time zones

Hawaiiâ€"Aleutian Time Zone (Hawaii)
Alaska Time Zone (Alaska)
Pacific Time Zone
Mountain Time Zone
Central Time Zone
Eastern Time Zone
Atlantic Time Zone (Puerto Rico)

Courts of Appeals circuits

First Circuit
Second Circuit
Third Circuit
Fourth Circuit
Fifth Circuit
Sixth Circuit
Seventh Circuit
Eighth Circuit
Ninth Circuit
Tenth Circuit
Eleventh Circuit
DC Circuit

The Federal Circuit is not a regional circuit. Its jurisdiction is nationwide, but based on subject matter.

Bureau of Economic Analysis regions

The Bureau of Economic Analysis defines regions for comparison of economic data.

New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont
Mideast: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania
Great Lakes: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Plains: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota
Southeast: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
Southwest: Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas
Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming
Far West: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington

Energy Information Administration

The Energy Information Administration currently uses the PADD system established by Petroleum Administration for War in World War II. It is used for data collection on refining petroleum and its products. Each PADD is subdivided into refining districts.

PADD I: East Coast
- East Coast: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida; along with counties in New York east of, north of and including Cayuga, Tompkins, and Chemung; and counties in Pennsylvania east of and including Bradford, Sullivan, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Dauphin and York.
- Appalachian No. 1: West Virginia along with counties of Pennsylvania and New York State not mentioned above.
PADD II: Midwest
- Indiana-Illinois-Kentucky: Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio
- Minnesota-Wisconsin-North and South Dakota: Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota
- Oklahoma-Kansas-Missouri: Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa
PADD III: Gulf Coast
- Texas Gulf Coast: The Texan counties of Newton, Orange, Jefferson, Jasper, Tyler, Hardin, Liberty, Chambers, Polk, San Jacinto, Montgomery, Harris, Galveston, Waller, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Wharton, Matagorda, Jackson, Victoria, Calhoun, Refugio, Aransas, San Patricio, Nueces, Kleberg, Kenedy, Willacy and Cameron
- Texas Inland: Texan counties not mentioned above.
- Louisiana Gulf Coast: Parishes of Louisiana south of, and including Vernon, Rapides, Avoyelles, Pointe Coupee, West Feliciana, East Feliciana, Saint Helena, Tangipahoa and Washington; along with Pearl River, Stone, George, Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson County of Mississippi; and Alabama's Mobile and Baldwin County.
- North Louisiana-Arkansas: Arkansas and parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama not mentioned above.
- New Mexico: New Mexico
PADD IV: Rocky Mountain: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado
PADD V: West Coast: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii

PADD I can also be subdivided into 3 Subdistricts:

Sub-PAD 1A: New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
Sub-PAD 1B: Central Atlantic (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia)
Sub-PAD 1C: Lower Atlantic (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia)

PADD system was established in World War II and therefore don't accurately reflect current trends. The EIA has updated the PADD system with a complimentary set of regions to reflect this and will change it to suite current needs. (Note: Region 9 includes countries not part of the USA but is included for the sake of completion since it contains Puerto Rico)

Region 1: PADD I
Region 2: PADD II "Inland" (States of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Tennessee and Kentucky)
Region 3: PADD II "Lakes" (States of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio)
Region 4: PADD III "Gulf" (Refining districts of Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana Gulf Coast)
Region 5: PADD III "Inland" (Refining districts of Texas Inland, New Mexico and North Louisiana-Arkansas)
Region 6: PADD IV
Region 7: PADD V "California" (State of California)
Region 8: PADD V "Other" (States of Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington)
Region 9: "International"
- Maritime Canada (Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick)
- Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago)

Unofficial U.S. multi-state regions

The Belts

Interstate metropolitan areas

Interstate megalopolises

Arizona Sun Corridor
California
Cascadia
Great Lakes
Northeast megalopolis
Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion (PAM)

Intrastate regions

Alabama

Alabama Gulf Coast
Greater Birmingham
Black Belt
Central Alabama
Lower Alabama
Mobile Bay
North Alabama
Northeast Alabama
Northwest Alabama
South Alabama

Alaska

Alaska Interior
Alaska North Slope
Alaska Panhandle
Aleutian Islands
Arctic Alaska
The Bush
Kenai Peninsula
Matanuska-Susitna Valley
Seward Peninsula
Southcentral Alaska
Southwest Alaska
Tanana Valley
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta

Arizona

Arizona Strip
Grand Canyon
North Central Arizona
Northeast Arizona
Northern Arizona
Phoenix metropolitan area
Southern Arizona

Arkansas

Arkansas Delta
Arkansas River Valley
Arkansas Timberlands
Central Arkansas
Crowley's Ridge
Northwest Arkansas
South Arkansas

California

Colorado

Central Colorado (part of Southern Rocky Mountains)
Colorado Eastern Plains (part of High Plains and Great Plains)
Colorado Front Range (part of Front Range Urban Corridor)
Colorado Mineral Belt (part of Southern Rocky Mountains)
Colorado Piedmont (contains parts of the Front Range Urban Corridor and High Plains)
Colorado Western Slope (part of Southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau)
Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area (part of Front Range Urban Corridor)
High Rockies (part of Southern Rocky Mountains)
Northwestern Colorado (part of Southern Rocky Mountains)
San Luis Valley
South-Central Colorado (part of Front Range Urban Corridor)
Southwestern Colorado (part of Southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau)

Connecticut

In Connecticut, there are 15 official regions, each with a regional government that serves for the absence of county government in Connecticut. There are also a fair number of unofficial regions in Connecticut with no regional government.

Central Naugatuck Valley
Coastal Connecticut
Connecticut panhandle
Greater Bridgeport
Greater New Haven
Greater Hartford
Housatonic Valley(shared with Massachusetts)
Litchfield Hills
Lower Connecticut River Valley
Naugatuck River Valley
New York Metropolitan Area/Gold Coast
Quiet Corner
Southeastern Connecticut
Southwestern Connecticut

Delaware

"Upstate" or "Up North"

Delaware Valley also known as "Above the Canal" (referring to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal)

"Slower Lower"

Cape Region
Central Kent
Delaware coast

Florida

Directional regions

Central Florida
North Florida
Northwest Florida
North Central Florida
Northeast Florida
South Florida
Southwest Florida

Local vernacular regions

Big Bend
Emerald Coast
First Coast
Florida Heartland
Florida Keys
Florida Panhandle
Forgotten Coast
Glades
Gold Coast
Halifax area (also Surf Coast and Fun Coast)
Red Hills
Nature Coast
Space Coast
Suncoast
Tampa Bay Area
Treasure Coast

Georgia

Atlanta metropolitan area
Central Georgia
Central Savannah River Area
Colonial Coast
Golden Isles of Georgia
Historic South
North Georgia
North Georgia mountains (Northeast Georgia)
Southern Rivers
Southeast Georgia
Wiregrass Region

Physiographic regions

Appalachian Plateau
Blue Ridge Mountains
Coastal Plain
Piedmont Plateau
Ridge and Valley

Hawaii

Hawaii / Big Island
- Hamakua Coast
- Puna District
Kahoolawe
Kauai
LÄnai
Maui
Molokai
Niihau
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Oahu

Idaho

Central Idaho
Eastern Idaho
Idaho Panhandle
Magic Valley
North Central Idaho
Palouse Hills
Southern Idaho
Southwestern Idaho
Treasure Valley

Illinois

American Bottom
Central Illinois
Champaignâ€"Urbana metropolitan area
Chicago metropolitan area
Driftless Area
Forgottonia
Fox Valley
Metro-East
Metro Lakeland
Military Tract of 1812
Mississippi Alluvial Plain
North Shore
Northern Illinois
Northwestern Illinois
Peoria, Illinois metropolitan area
Quad Cities
River Bend
Rockford, Illinois metropolitan area
Shawnee Hills
Southern Illinois
Streatorland
Tri-State Area
Wabash Valley

Indiana

East Central Indiana
Indianapolis metropolitan area
Michiana
Northern Indiana
Northwest Indiana
Southern Indiana
Southwestern Indiana
Wabash Valley

Iowa

Coteau des Prairies
Des Moines metropolitan area
Dissected Till Plains
Driftless Area
Great River Road
Honey Lands
Iowa Great Lakes
Loess Hills
Omahaâ€"Council Bluffs metropolitan area
Quad Cities
Siouxland

Kansas

East-Central Kansas
Flint Hills
High Plains
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
North Central Kansas
Osage Plains
Ozarks
Red Hills
Santa Fe Trail
Smoky Hills
Southeast Kansas

Kentucky

The Bluegrass
Central Kentucky
Cumberland Plateau
Eastern Mountain Coal Fields
Kentucky Bend
The Knobs
Northern Kentucky
Pennyroyal Plateau
South Central Kentucky
The Purchase
Western Coal Fields

Louisiana

Acadiana

Cajun Heartland
River Parishes

Central Louisiana (Cen-La)
Florida Parishes
French Louisiana (Acadiana + Greater New Orleans)
Greater New Orleans
North Louisiana

Maine

Down East
High Peaks / Maine Highlands
Kennebec Valley
Maine Highlands
Maine Lake Country
Maine North Woods
Mid Coast
Penobscot Bay
Southern Maine Coast
Western Maine Mountains

Maryland

Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
Capital region
Chesapeake Bay
Eastern Shore of Maryland
Southern Maryland
Western Maryland

Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts
- The Berkshires (map shown, right)
- Housatonic Valley
- Pioneer Valley
- Quabbin-Swift River Valley
Central Massachusetts
- MetroWest
- Montachusett-North County
- South County
- Blackstone River Valley
Northeastern Massachusetts
- North Shore
  - Merrimack Valley
  - Cape Ann
- Greater Boston
Southeastern Massachusetts
- Cape Cod and Islands
- South Coast
- South Shore

Michigan

Lower Peninsula
- Northern Michigan
  - Leelanau Peninsula
- Central/Mid-Michigan
  - Flint/Tri-Cities
  - The Thumb
- West Michigan
  - Michiana
- Southeast Michigan
  - Metro Detroit
Upper Peninsula
- Copper Country
- Keweenaw Peninsula

Minnesota

Arrowhead Region
Boundary Waters
Buffalo Ridge
Central Minnesota
Coulee Region
Iron Range
Minnesota River Valley
North Shore
Northwest Angle
Pipestone Region
Red River Valley
Southeast Minnesota
Twin Cities Metro

Mississippi

Golden Triangle
Mississippi Alluvial Plain
Mississippi Delta
Mississippi Gulf Coast
Natchez District
North Mississippi
Pine Belt
Tennessee Valley

Missouri

Bootheel
Dissected Till Plains
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
Lead Belt
Little Dixie
Natchez Trace
Ozarks
St. Louis Metropolitan Area

Montana

Big Horn Mountains
Eastern Montana
The Flathead
Glacier Country
Glacier National Park
Regional designations of Montana
South Central Montana
Southwestern Montana
Two Medicine
Western Montana
Yellowstone National Park

Nebraska

Nebraska Panhandle
Northwest Nebraska
Pine Ridge
Rainwater Basin
Sand Hills
Southeast Nebraska
South Central Nebraska
Wildcat Hills

Nevada

Black Rock Desert
Lake Tahoe
Las Vegas Valley
Mojave Desert
Pahranagat Valley
Sierra Nevada

New Hampshire

Connecticut River Valley
Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region (overlaps with Connecticut River Valley)
Great North Woods Region
Lakes Region
Merrimack Valley
- Golden Triangle
Monadnock Region (overlaps with Connecticut River Valley)
Seacoast Region
White Mountains

New Jersey

North Jersey
- Skylands
  - Amwell Valley
  - Black Dirt Region (shared with New York)
  - Great Valley
    - Sussex County Snow Belt
  - Hunterdon Plateau
  - Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians
  - Highlands
  - Somerset Hills
  - The Sourlands
- Gateway
  - Chemical Coast/Soundshore
  - Hudson Waterfront
    - North Hudson
  - Meadowlands
  - Pascack Valley
  - Raritan Bayshore
  - West Hudson
Central Jersey
- Bayshore
- Jersey Shore
- Shore Region
South Jersey
- Shore Region
  - Northern Headlands
    - Irish Riviera
  - Pine Barrens
- Delaware Valley
  - Pine Barrens
  - The Sourlands
- Southern Shore
  - Cape May
  - The Glades
  - Tri Cities (Bridgeton, Millville, Vineland)
  - Tri-County Farm Belt
- Greater Atlantic City
  - Pine Barrens
  - Central Corridor Piedmont Region

New Mexico

Central New Mexico
Eastern New Mexico
New Mexico Bootheel
Northern New Mexico

New York

Downstate New York
- New York metropolitan area
- The Five Boroughs (New York City)
- Nassau County
- Suffolk County
- The Hamptons
- North Shore (Gold Coast)
- South Shore
- Westchester County
- Rockland County
- Putnam County
Upstate New York
- Erie Canal Corridor
  - New York State Canal System
  - New York State Canalway Trail
- Western New York
  - Holland Purchase
  - Burned-over district
- Finger Lakes
- Leatherstocking Country
- Central New York
  - Central New York Military Tract
  - Phelps and Gorham Purchase
  - Syracuse metropolitan area
- Mohawk Valley
- Southern Tier
- Capital District
- North Country
  - Adirondack Mountains
    - Adirondack Park
  - Ski country
  - Thousand Islands
  - Tug Hill
- Catskill Mountains
  - Borscht Belt
- Hudson Valley
  - Shawangunk Ridge
  - Black Dirt Region (shared with New Jersey)

North Carolina

Western North Carolina
- Foothills Region
  - South Mountains
  - The Unifour (Catawba Valley Area)
- High Country (Boone Area)
- Land of the Sky
  - Asheville Metropolitan Area
    - Great Craggy Mountains
  - Blue Ridge Mountains
    - Black Mountains
    - Brushy Mountains
    - Great Balsam Mountains
    - Unaka Mountains
    - Unicoi Mountains
  - Great Smoky Mountains
    - Tennessee Valley
Central North Carolina
- Piedmont Crescent
  - Metropolitan Charlotte (Metrolina)
    - Lake Norman Area
  - Metropolitan Piedmont Triad
    - Sauratown Mountains
    - Uwharrie Mountains
    - Yadkin Valley
- The Research Triangle
  - - New Hope Valley
    - Triangle East
Eastern North Carolina
- Fayetteville Metropolitan Area
- Inner Banks
  - Albemarle
  - Global TransPark Economic Development Area
  - Tidewater
- Lower Cape Fear (Wilmington Area)
- Outer Banks
  - Crystal Coast
    - Bogue Banks
    - Down East
- Sandhills

North Dakota

Badlands
Missouri Escarpment
Missouri River Corridor
Red River Valley

Ohio

Allegheny Plateau
Appalachian Ohio
Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky metropolitan area
Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area
Connecticut Western Reserve (historic, now defunct)
Great Black Swamp (shared with Indiana)
The Lake Erie Islands
Miami Valley
Northeast Ohio (often used interchangeably with Greater Cleveland, but also includes the counties of Ashtabula, Portage, Summit, and Trumbull.)
Northwest Ohio

Oklahoma

Central Oklahoma
Cherokee Outlet
Green Country
Kiamichi Country
Little Dixie
Northwestern Oklahoma
Panhandle
South Central Oklahoma
Southwestern Oklahoma

Oregon

Cascade Range
Central Oregon
Columbia Plateau
Columbia River
Columbia River Gorge
Eastern Oregon
Goose Lake Valley
Harney Basin
High Desert
Mount Hood Corridor
Oregon Coast
Palouse
Portland metropolitan area
Rogue Valley
Southern Oregon
Treasure Valley
Tualatin Valley
Warner Valley
Western Oregon
Willamette Valley

Pennsylvania

Allegheny National Forest
Coal Region
Cumberland Valley
Delaware Valley
Dutch Country
Endless Mountains
Highlands Region
Laurel Highlands
Lehigh Valley
Main Line
Northern Tier
Northeastern Pennsylvania
Northwest Region
Pittsburgh metropolitan area
The Poconos
South Central Pennsylvania
Susquehanna Valley
Western Pennsylvania
Wyoming Valley

Rhode Island

Blackstone Valley
East Bay
West Bay
South County

South Carolina

The Lowcountry
The Midlands
The Upstate

Travel/Tourism locations

Grand Strand
Lake Murray Country
The Lowcountry & Resort Islands
Old 96 District
Olde English District
Pee Dee
Santee Cooper Country

Other geographical distinctions

Blue Ridge Mountains
Charleston metropolitan area
Coastal South Carolina
Columbia metropolitan area
The Piedmont
Rock Hill, South Carolina Area
The Sandhills
Sea Islands

South Dakota

Badlands
Black Hills
Coteau des Prairies

Tennessee

East Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
West Tennessee

Other geographical distinctions:

Highland Rim
Nashville Basin
Tennessee Valley

Texas

Brazos Valley
Central Texas
- Texas blackland prairies
- The Hill Country
Gulf Coast
- Galveston Bay
- Greater Houston
East Texas
- Piney Woods and Northeast Texas
North Texas
- Dallas â€" Fort Worth Metroplex
- Texoma
South Texas
- Mission Country
- Rio Grande Valley
Southeast Texas
- Golden Triangle
- Greater Houston
Texas Midwest/West-Central Texas (includes Abilene, San Angelo, Brownwood, Texas)
Texas Urban Triangle (Houston to San Antonio to Dallas-Fort Worth)
West Texas
- Concho Valley
- Edwards Plateau
- Llano Estacado (a portion of northwest Texas)
- Permian Basin
- South Plains (includes 24 counties south of the Texas Panhandle and north of the Permian Basin)
- Texas Panhandle (pictured)
- Trans-Pecos
- Great Plains

Utah

Cache Valley
Colorado Plateau
Dixie
Great Salt Lake Desert
Mojave Desert
San Rafael Swell
Southeastern Utah
Southwestern Utah
Uinta Mountains
Wasatch Back
Wasatch Front
Wasatch Range

Vermont

Burlington metropolitan area
Champlain Valley
Green Mountains
Mount Mansfield
Northeast Kingdom

Virginia

Eastern Shore
Hampton Roads
Historic Triangle
Northern Neck
Northern Virginia
Greater Richmond Region
Shenandoah Valley
South Hampton Roads
Southside Virginia
Southwest Virginia
Tidewater
Tri-Cities
Virginia Peninsula

Washington

Central Washington
Columbia Plateau
Eastern Washington
Kitsap Peninsula
Long Beach Peninsula
Okanagan Country
Olympic Mountains
Olympic Peninsula
Puget Sound
Rocky Mountains
San Juan Islands
Skagit Valley
Tri-Cities
Walla Walla Valley
Western Washington
Yakima Valley

West Virginia

Eastern Panhandle
North-Central West Virginia
Northern Panhandle
Potomac Highlands
Southern West Virginia

Wisconsin

Central Plain
Door Peninsula
Eastern Ridges and Lowlands
Lake Superior Lowland
Northern Highland
Western Upland

Wyoming

Bighorn Basin
Grand Teton
Powder River Country
Yellowstone National Park

Other regional listings

Regions of the Boy Scouts of America

Central Region
Northeast Region
Southern Region
Western Region

References

External links

U.S. Library of Congress Map of the US Regions

Sunday, June 28, 2015