The Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and colloquially known as the Chattahoochee Valley, is an area consisting of six counties in Georgia and one county in Alabama, anchored by the city of Columbus. As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 296,506 (though a July 1, 2016 estimate placed the population at 308,755). The Columbus metropolitan area is a component of the Columbus-Auburn-Opelika (GA-AL) Combined Statistical Area, a trading and marketing region. It is split between the Eastern Time Zone, the time zone the Georgia Counties of the metropolitan area are in, and the Central Time Zone, the time zone in Russell County, Alabama is in, thus making it the only metropolitan area in the United States to be split between multiple time zones. Counties Note: In 2018, the U.S. Census Bureau revised the official area definition of the Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. Two additional Georgia counties, Stewart and Talbot, will be included in all statistics of the 2020 decennial census and in all annual population estimates after 2018. Chattahoochee County, Georgia Harris County, Georgia Marion County, Georgia Muscogee County, Georgia Russell County, Alabama Stewart County, Georgia Talbot County, Georgia Communities Places with more than 180,000 inhabitants Columbus, Georgia (principal city) Places with 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants Cusseta, Georgia (includes Fort Benning) Phenix City, Alabama Places with 1,000 to 10,000 inhabitants Buena Vista, Georgia Hamilton, Georgia Ladonia, Alabama (census-designated place) Lumpkin, Georgia Manchester, Georgia (partial) Pine Mountain, Georgia (partial) Richland, Georgia West Point, Georgia (partial) Places with less than 1,000 inhabitants Geneva, Georgia Hurtsboro, Alabama Junction City, Georgia Shiloh, Georgia Talbotton, Georgia Waverly Hall, Georgia Woodland, Georgia Unincorporated places Box Springs, Georgia Cataula, Georgia Ellerslie, Georgia Fortson, Georgia Midland, Georgia Glenville, Alabama Juniper, Georgia Louvale, Georgia Omaha, Georgia Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 281,768 people, 103,982 households, and 72,632 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 54.56% White, 40.21% African American, 0.40% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.02% of the population. The median income for a household in the MSA was $35,262, and the median income for a family was $40,065. Males had a median income of $29,196 versus $22,834 for females. The per capita income for the MSA