The Pocono Mountains, commonly referred to as the Poconos , are a geographical, geological, and cultural region in Northeastern Pennsylvania. They overlook the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap to the east, Lake Wallenpaupack to the north, Wyoming Valley and the Coal Region to the west, and the Lehigh Valley to the south. The name Pocono is derived from the Munsee word Pokawachne, which means "Creek Between Two Hills". Much of the Poconos region lies within the Greater New York–Newark, NY–NJ–CT–PA Combined Statistical Area. The wooded hills and valleys have long been a popular recreation area, accessible within a two-hour drive to millions of metropolitan area residents, with many Pocono communities having resort hotels with fishing, hunting, skiing, and other sports facilities. The Poconos are an upland of the larger Allegheny Plateau, forming a escarpment. Population The Pocono Mountains are a popular recreational destination for local and regional visitors. While the area has long been a popular tourist destination, many communities have seen a rise in population, especially communities within Monroe County and Pike County. The region has a population of about 340,300, which is growing at a rapid pace. The Poconos now serves as a commuter community for New York City and northern New Jersey. The commute to workplaces often takes as much as two hours each way due to traffic. The region lacks a major population center, although there are municipalities such as Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg, and Mount Pocono. The three towns and the surrounding townships are all located in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, where the population is 165,058, about half of which is in the Poconos. Municipalities and communities The Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania are divided into six regions: the Mountain Region, the Lake Region, the Delaware River Region, the Upper Delaware River Region, Wyoming Valley, and the Lehigh River Gorge Region. Mountain Region Located in Monroe, Luzerne, southern Lackawanna, and northern Carbon Counties: Albrightsville Barrett Township Bartonsville Bear Creek Blakeslee Canadensis Chestnuthill Township Coolbaugh Township Drifton Delaware Water Gap East Side East Stroudsburg Foster Township Freeland Gouldsboro Henryville Jackson Township Jim Thorpe Jonas, Pennsylvania Kidder Township Kunkletown Lake Harmony Lausanne Township Long Pond Marshalls Creek Middle Smithfield Mount Pocono Mountainhome Packer Township Paradise Township Penn Forest Township Penn Lake Park Pocono Lake Pocono Pines Pocono Summit Pocono Township Price Township Reeders Smithfield Township Saylorsburg Scotrun Stroudsburg Stroud Township Thornhurst Weatherly White Haven Swiftwater Tannersville Tobyhanna Lake