"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 Home Counties (which border London). Think Everytown, America on a slightly larger [...] [tvtropes.org]