Evansville, IN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area

The Evansville, IN-KY Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 142nd largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the United States. The primary city is Evansville, Indiana. Other Indiana cities include Boonville, Mount Vernon, Oakland City, and Princeton. Cities in Kentucky include Henderson, Dixon,  Providence, and Robards and currently covers an area of 2367 mi2.

History
It was originally named the Evansville, IN Standard Metropolitan Area and was formed by the United States Census Bureau in 1950, consisting solely of Vanderburgh County, Indiana. As surrounding counties saw an increase in their population densities and the number of residents employed within Vanderburgh County, they met Census criteria to be added to the MSA. Four Indiana counties and two Kentucky counties are now a part of this MSA.

Because it includes counties in both Indiana and Kentucky, the Evansville metropolitan area is sometimes referred to as part of Kentuckiana but is usually referred to as the Tri-State , because of Illinois's bordering with Posey County less than 20 miles west of Evansville.

Possibilities for expansion and combination
There is a chance that another Kentucky county, Union, and two Illinois counties, White and Wabash, may be added on in the 2010 census as a significant amount of all three counties' populations commute to jobs in Vanderburgh County or any of the other five counties. Another Indiana County, Spencer, may find itself in both the Evansville and Owensboro areas. There is also a chance that the Owensboro and Evansville Metros could become the Evansville-Owensboro, IL-IN-KY Combined Statistical Area in 2010 as travel time decreases and interaction increases with improved infrastructre between the two areas and many of the micropolitan areas to the north and south like Interstate 69, the expansion of the 6-lane Lloyd Expressway to the west and east as well as the new U.S. 231 Corridor.

Current Populations
¹ County was not a part of Evansville, IN-KY MSA at the time of this Census and the county's population is not included in MSA total.