Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Consolidated Financial Statements The consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2011 has been derived from audited consolidated financial statements and the consolidated interim financial statements included herein have been prepared without audit pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP for interim financial statements and with instructions for Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X Section 210.10-01. Further information on Metro Bancorp, Inc.'s (Metro or the Company) accounting policies are available in Note 1 (Significant Accounting Policies) of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. The accompanying consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary to reflect a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. Such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Events occurring subsequent to the date of the balance sheet have been evaluated for potential recognition or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements. The results for the six months ended June 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries including Metro Bank (the Bank). All material intercompany transactions have been eliminated. Certain amounts from the prior year have been reclassified to conform to the 2012 presentation. Such reclassifications had no impact on the Company's stockholders' equity or net income. Use of Estimates The financial statements are prepared in conformity with GAAP. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities and require disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses (allowance or ALL), impaired loans, the valuation of deferred tax assets, the valuation of foreclosed assets, the valuation of securities available for sale, the determination of other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) on the Bank's investment securities portfolio and fair value measurements. Other Comprehensive Income Accounting principles generally require that recognized revenue, expenses, gains and losses be included in net income. Although certain changes in assets and liabilities, such as unrealized gains and losses on available for sale (AFS) securities, are reported as a separate component of the equity section of the balance sheet, such items, along with net income are components of comprehensive income. The only comprehensive income items that the Company presently has other than net income are net unrealized gains on securities available for sale and unrealized losses for noncredit-related losses on debt securities. These items are presented net of tax in the Statement of Comprehensive Income.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Consolidated Financial Statements

The consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2011 has been derived from audited consolidated financial statements and the consolidated interim financial statements included herein have been prepared without audit pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP for interim financial statements and with instructions for Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X Section 210.10-01. Further information on Metro Bancorp, Inc.'s (Metro or the Company) accounting policies are available in Note 1 (Significant Accounting Policies) of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. The accompanying consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary to reflect a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. Such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature.

These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Events occurring subsequent to the date of the balance sheet have been evaluated for potential recognition or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements. The results for the six months ended June 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries including Metro Bank (the Bank). All material intercompany transactions have been eliminated. Certain amounts from the prior year have been reclassified to conform to the 2012 presentation. Such reclassifications had no impact on the Company's stockholders' equity or net income.

Use of Estimates

The financial statements are prepared in conformity with GAAP. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities and require disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses (allowance or ALL), impaired loans, the valuation of deferred tax assets, the valuation of foreclosed assets, the valuation of securities available for sale, the determination of other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) on the Bank's investment securities portfolio and fair value measurements.

Other Comprehensive Income

Accounting principles generally require that recognized revenue, expenses, gains and losses be included in net income. Although certain changes in assets and liabilities, such as unrealized gains and losses on available for sale (AFS) securities, are reported as a separate component of the equity section of the balance sheet, such items, along with net income are components of comprehensive income. The only comprehensive income items that the Company presently has other than net income are net unrealized gains on securities available for sale and unrealized losses for noncredit-related losses on debt securities. These items are presented net of tax in the Statement of Comprehensive Income.