the u.s. state of louisiana has a total of nine metropolitan statistical areas (msas). thirty (30) of louisiana's sixty-four (64) parishes are classified as metropolitan. as of the 2010 census, these parishes had a combined population of 3,340,667 (74.8% of the state's population). based on a july 1, 2009, population estimate, that figure had increased to 3,356,913 (74.7% of the state's population).