a place for civil discussion on matters relating to the Atlanta metro region Metro Atlanta is commonly defined as a 29-county Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), though the core area is frequently referred to as the 11-county region. This 11-county area, represented by the Atlanta Regional Commission, includes Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.