History Main / TriCountyArea

* The area around NewYorkCity--New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut--is commonly referred to as "the Tri-State Area".
* The area around Philadelphia is also sometimes called "the Tri-State Area" (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware). However, it is usually referred to as the Delaware Valley, probably because the above-mentioned New York one is literally next door and those living in New Jersey counties on the border (especially Mercer County) might get confused.
* Chicago's metropolitan area spills over from Illinois into Wisconsin to the north and Indiana to the east, though the region is more commonly known as Chicagoland. Again, this is probably because of New York.

"Tri-county area" (sometimes "tri-cities" or "tri-state area") is a universal description for a generic American region that's meant to be larger than a small town, but not a huge metro area. A tri-state area is somewhat smaller in landmass and population than regions like the US Eastern Seaboard or the British HomeCounties (which border London). Think EverytownAmerica on a slightly larger scale.

* The area around Philadelphia is also sometimes called "the Tri-State Area" (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware). However, it is usually referred to as the Delaware Valley.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' takes place in the "Tri-County Area". In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' they go to Tri-County International Airport. And in ToyStory3 they end up at the Tri-County [[spoiler: Landfill.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' takes place in the "Tri-County Area". In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' they go to Tri-County International Airport.

* The heart of the UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}} Metropolitan Area consists of Wayne County (which contains Detroit) plus Oakland County and Macomb County to its north. As you might have guessed, it's called...

"Tri-county area" (sometimes "tri-cities" or "tri-state area") is a universal description for a generic American region that's meant to be larger than a small town, but not a huge metro area. A tri-state area is somewhat smaller in landmass and population than regions like the US Eastern Seaboard or the UK Home Counties (which border London). Think EverytownAmerica on a slightly larger scale.

* The area around UsefulNotes/Philadelphia is also sometimes called "the Tri-State Area" (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware). However, it is usually referred to as the Delaware Valley.

* ''That70sShow'': In an ItsAWonderfulPlot episode, Eric is the assistant manager of the second-largest mattress retailer in the tri-county area.
* ''MalcolmInTheMiddle'' refers to "the first Polish-American from the tri-county area to play three complete seasons in the majors." The boys enter Lois in the Miss Tri-County pageant.

* In one episode of ''TheDukesOfHazzard'', Daisy enters the Miss Tri-Counties beauty pageant. This being Hazzard, one segment of the pageant requires the contestants to disassemble and reassemble a carburetor.

* The precursor of [[{{ECW}} Eastern Championship Wrestling/Extreme Championship Wrestling]] was Philadelphia's Tri-State Wrestling Alliance (presumably the three states were Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey). The promotion's high point was probably the August 3, 1991, match between [[MickFoley Cactus Jack]] and Eddie Gilbert; a two-out-of-three-falls affair in which the respective stipulations of the falls were [[GimmickMatches "falls count anywhere", "stretcher," and "steel cage."]] The bout was third-runner-up for 1991's "Match of the Year" in ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' magazine (PWI being what it is, the match somehow got enough votes for fourth place despite occurring on an untelevised card in front of a crowd of 562 spectators).

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' takes place in the "Tri-County Area". In ''Toy Story 2'' they go to Tri-County International Airport.

* The area around NewYorkCity--New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut--is commonly referred to as this.

* TheOtherWiki has this rather impressive [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-City list]] of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-Cities#Tri-Cities tri-city areas]].

* At one point in ''UltimateSpiderMan'', after the Kingpin sees Spidey's face, one of his people points out that it would be impossible to find him, even if they searched all the teenage boys in the Tri-State Area alone.

* North Carolina has not one but two of these. The Research Triangle, or often just "The Triangle", is composed of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill [[note]]By no coincidence, they're also the homes of three of the state's largest and most important universities, North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill[[/note]]. The Piedmont Triad, or "The Triad", is composed of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point [[note]]To confuse matters slightly, Wake Forest University ''was'' in the Triangle, in the town of Wake Forest, but is now in Winston-Salem.[[/note]] They're about ninety minutes down the road from each other via Interstate-40, and are therefore easily confused with each other by those who aren't familiar with the state. The Triad is to west, closer to the mountains, and the Triangle is to the east, closer to the coast.

* New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut are usually what is meant when used in works set in NewYorkCity.

* TheOtherWiki has this rather impressive [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-City list]] of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-Cities#Tri-Cities tri-city areas]].

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* The Tri-Island Area is introduced in ''VideoGame/TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland'', and mentioned thereafter. It consists of Mêleé , Booty and Plunder Islands, and their associated archipelagos, and Elaine is the hereditary governor of the lot of them.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' takes place in the "Tri-County Area".
* Parodied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' by Peggy when she exclaims that the kids (Bobby, Connie and Joseph) aren't anywhere in the tri-home area (referring to the Hill, Khan & Gribble residences).
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' lives in a tri-city area, Upperton, Middleton, and Lowerton.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' parodies this with a tri-state area that's actually named from its founder, John P. Tristate.
* The ''TinyToonAdventures'' Spring Break movie:
-->I want tri-state roadblocks! Call forensics and check the scene. I want dogs combing the woods! And some little sprinkly, candy chewies on a cupcake. NOW!

* New York, New Jersey, and either Connecticut or Pennsylvania are usually what is meant when used in works set in NewYorkCity.

"Tri-county area" (sometimes "tri-cities" or "tri-state area") is a universal description for a generic American region that's meant to be big, but not too big. A tri-state area is somewhat smaller in landmass and population than regions like The US Eastern Seaboard or the UK Home Counties (which border London). Think EverytownAmerica on a slightly larger scale.

This trope is TruthInTelevision for a couple of reasons. In the 18th and 19th Centuries, the people who created American political jurisdictions had a tendency to use rivers as boundaries; those rivers also served as arteries of commerce, so that urban areas grew and expanded across political jurisdictions. On the East Coast of the US, some state boundaries were also drawn so that several states could have access to the Atlantic Ocean.

* New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut or New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are usually what is meant when used in works set in NewYorkCity.
* North Carolina has not one but two of these; Research Triangle, or often just "The Triangle", is composed of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill [[note]]By no coincidence, they're also the homes of three of the state's largest and most important universities, North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill[[/note]]. The Piedmont Triad, or "The Triad", is composed of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point [[note]]To confuse matters slightly, Wake Forest University ''was'' in the Triangle, in the town of Wake Forest, but is now in Winston-Salem.[[/note]] They're about ninety minutes down the road from each other via Interstate-40, and are therefore easily confused with each other by those who aren't familiar with the state. The Triad is to west, closer to the mountains, and the Triangle is to the east, closer to the coast.

* TheOtherWiki has this rather impressive [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-City list]] of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-Cities#Tri-Cities tri-city areas]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' takes place in the tri-county area.

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' has a tri-state area. This is a subversion since the Tri-State area is actually named from it's founder, John P. Tristate.

* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': An incidental character in the first-season episode "Nightmares" once had the best spider collection in the tri-county area. It's unclear how this was determined...

* North Carolina has not one but two of these; Research Triangle, or often just "The Triangle", is composed of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill [[hottip:*:By no coincidence, they're also the homes of three of the state's largest and most important universities, North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]]. The Piedmont Triad, or "The Triad", is composed of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point [[hottip:*:To confuse matters slightly, Wake Forest University ''was'' in the Triangle, in the town of Wake Forest, but is now in Winston-Salem.]] They're about ninety minutes down the road from each other via Interstate-40, and are therefore easily confused with each other by those who aren't familiar with the state. The Triad is to west, closer to the mountains, and the Triangle is to the east, closer to the coast.

* St. Cloud, Minnesota is also located where three counties meet - Stearns, Benton and Sherburne. The majority of the town is in Stearns County, with roughly 25% of the city split between the other two counties.

* ''ToyStory'' takes place in the tri-county area.

* St. Cloud, Minnesota is also located where three counties meet - Stearns, Benton and Sherburne.

The other major use of this trope arises from the practice of organizing emergency services around cities, counties and states. If something big threatens a proximity community (a fleeing felon or a marauding monster or a major storm), the authorities in multiple jurisdictions must be called and their actions coordinated. Invoking this trope can indicate the severity of the threat, much like the proverbial "five-alarm fire". If a blizzard hits, expect local news and weather reporters to say things like, "Downed power lines and limited visibility are affecting the entire tri-state area." In fictional works, characters may be depicted reacting to such local news reports, or they may use the phrase themselves when warning someone else, be it a loved one or a person in authority.

[[AC:{{Fan Fiction}}]]

* ''You Can't Cheat an Honest Man'' (1939):

* ''{{Ghostbusters}}'':

** ''[[{{Ghostbusters}} Ghostbusters 2]]'':

* ''Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232'':

* ''Mystery Train:''

* ''Dillinger'':

[[AC:{{Live ActionTV}}]]

[[AC:{{Professional Wrestling}}]]

[[AC:{{Real Life}}]]

* Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland are "Tri-Cities" in south central Washington State.

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:{{Western Animation}}]]

* Parodied in an episode of ''KingOfTheHill'' by Peggy when she exclaims that the kids (Bobby, Connie and Joseph) aren't anywhere in the tri-home area (referring to the Hill, Khan & Gribble residences).
* ''KimPossible'' lives in a tri-city area, Upperton, Middleton, and Lowerton.
* ''PhineasAndFerb'' has a tri-state area. This is a subversion since the Tri-State area is actually named from it's founder, John P. Tristate.
* The ''TinyToonAdventures'' Spring Break movie:

* There's a Tri-Cities in Tennessee. They consist of Knoxville, Sneedville, and Johnson City, if the history of East Tennessee PBS is to be believed. However, the more popular such grouping consists of Kingsport, Bristol and Johnson City.

* ''The Onion Movie''

* The Tri-Island Area is introduced in ''TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland'', and mentioned thereafter. It consists of Mêleé , Booty and Plunder Islands, and their associated archipelagos, and Elaine is the hereditary governor of the lot of them.