Huntsville–Decatur combined statistical area
The Huntsville–Decatur–Albertville, Alabama, combined statistical area is the most populated sub-region of North Alabama, and is the second largest combined statistical area in the State of Alabama after Birmingham.[1] The Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville CSA had a total of 879,315 people in 2022 and ranks 68th in the country.[2]
Huntsville–Decatur–Albertville
United States
4,710 sq mi (12,200 km2)
4,545 sq mi (11,770 km2)
164 sq mi (420 km2)
852,756
The CSA is situated along the Tennessee River, and is made up of two separate metropolitan areas (Decatur and Huntsville) and 3 Micropolitan areas ( Albertville, Fort Payne, and Fayetteville) that are usually referred to as one. The Decatur MSA, Albertville μSA, and Fort Payne μSA are south of the Tennessee River and the Huntsville MSA and Fayetteville μSA are north of it.
Significant cities included in the CSA include Albertville, Arab, Athens, Boaz, Decatur, Fayetteville, Fort Payne, Guntersville, Hartselle, Huntsville, and Madison, as well as DeKalb, Lawrence, Limestone, Lincoln, Madison, Marshall, and Morgan counties.
Huntsville is the largest city in the area with a population of 215,006 people,[3][4] and a metro population of 502,728. Decatur is the second largest city with a population of 57,938 people,[5] and a metro population of 156,758.[6] Mooresville is the smallest town in the CSA with 47 people.
The geography of the Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area ranges from the tall peaks of the southern Appalachian Mountains, to the low valleys formed by the Tennessee River. Decatur sits on the southern shore of the Tennessee River, while Huntsville lies about 10 miles from the Tennessee River, and sits at the base of Monte Sano Mountain.
Infrastructure[edit]
Roadways[edit]
The heart of the Huntsville–Decatur Metro Area (Huntsville, Decatur, and Madison) is linked together by the 22 mile strip of Interstate 565.
Interstate 565 begins at the eastern edge of the Decatur city limits near the interchange with Interstate 65. At the interchange, Alternate US 72 and State Route 20 become a controlled access highway as it passes under Interstate 65 receiving traffic from the north – (Nashville), and south – (Birmingham / Decatur / Hartselle) in addition to the nearly 40,000-51,000 vehicles per day from Decatur to Huntsville on the Alternate US 72 Corridor.
Plans are underway to extend Interstate 565 from the Interstate 65/Alternate US 72/State Route 20 interchange to the US 31/State Route 20/Alternate US 72 interchange in the Limestone County portion of Decatur. Eventually the extended Interstate Highway will cross the Tennessee River's Wheeler Lake intersecting the once proposed Memphis to Atlanta Highway..