Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Metropolitan Statistical Area
MSA code 26420 is the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, a Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). It encompasses 10 counties. This code is used by the BLS, Census Bureau, HUD, and BEA to publish labor market, demographic, and economic data at the metropolitan area level — distinct from the individual county FIPS codes used for county-level data.
MSA Code
26420
Type
Metro SA
Component Counties (10)
OMB designates each county in a Core Based Statistical Area as either central — containing the urban core that anchors the metro — or outlying, meaning it qualifies based on commuting ties to the central counties. Both types are included in MSA-level data published by federal agencies. Click any county to see its individual 5-digit FIPS code and data profile.
| County | FIPS Code |
|---|---|
| Harris County | 48201 |
| Fort Bend County | 48157 |
| Montgomery County | 48339 |
| Brazoria County | 48039 |
| Galveston County | 48167 |
| Liberty County | 48291 |
| Waller County | 48473 |
| Chambers County | 48071 |
| Austin County | 48015 |
| San Jacinto County | 48407 |
Federal Datasets Using MSA Code 26420
Several major federal datasets publish directly at the MSA level using this 5-digit code rather than individual county FIPS codes. Note that MSA codes and county FIPS codes are separate namespaces — never join an MSA code against a county FIPS column. To work with county-level data within this metro, use the individual county FIPS codes listed above.