Urban Areas with a population of at least 20,000 persons are considered to be an activity center. This definition includes all the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), which have a population of 50,000 or greater (based on the 2000 Census), along with other regional urban areas in which major activities, such as shopping or manufacturing, take place. These urban areas typically are a hub of commercial, retail, or industrial activity for the area. The 17 MPOs in North Carolina are:

• French Broad River MPO (Asheville-Hendersonville-Waynesville)
• Greater Hickory MPO (Hickory-Newton-Conover)
• Gaston Urban Area MPO
• Mecklenburg-Union MPO (Charlotte-Monroe)

• Cabarrus-Rowan MPO (Concord-Kannapolis-Salisbury)
• Winston-Salem Urban Area MPO
• Greensboro Urban Area MPO
• High Point Urban Area MPO
• Burlington-Graham MPO
• Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO
• Capital Area MPO (Raleigh-Cary)
• Fayetteville Area MPO
• Goldsboro Urban Area MPO
• Wilmington MPO
• Rocky Mount Urban Area MPO
• Greenville Urban Area MPO
• Jacksonville Urban Area MPO

View a Map of the Metropolitan Planning Organizations in North Carolina.

Major urban areas just outside North Carolina's borders are also considered activity centers as many North Carolina residents are destined to these areas for their daily activities. These areas include the Hampton Roads area in Virginia (Norfolk-Virginia Beach), Danville, VA, Atlanta, GA, and Myrtle Beach, SC.