the baton rouge metropolitan statistical area, as defined by the united states office of management and budget, or simply the baton rouge metropolitan area or greater baton rouge, is a sprawling metropolitan statistical area surrounding the city of baton rouge. its principal city baton rouge is unusual because it has no major incorporated satellite cities, a rarity for a metropolitan area of its size. comprising the western edge of the florida parishes regions, it is known as "plantation country", the "capital region", and "the 225" (a reference to its area code). at the 2010 u.s. census, the metropolitan area had a population of 802,484, up from 705,973 in 2000. at the 2020 census, its population increased to 870,569, up from 2020 estimates at 858,571.