The Texas metropolitan areas of Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston are the fastest growing in the country, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, having collectively added nearly 300,000 residents to their population count between July 2022 and July 2023.
Dallas-Fort Worth was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the entire nation, having grown by 152,598 residents last year, followed by Houston with an addition of 139,789 moving to town. These two areas include the cities of Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Houston, Pasadena and The Woodlands.
A majority of 60 percent of U.S. counties—about 1,876—gained population between 2022 and last year, up from 52 percent between 2021 and 2022. The share of population acquired has also increased, with the total of 3,144 counties in the nation adding 0.29 percent of residents, up from 0.17 the previous year.
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Counties in the South were the fastest-growing in the entire country, with approximately 67 percent of the counties in the region experiencing population gains in 2023 up from 59 percent in 2022.
While the Northeast still had more counties losing than gaining population in 2023—113 against 105–, the loss was slightly lower than a year before—slowing from -0.24 percent between 2021 and 2022 to -0.07 percent a year later.
The West, which had seen the fastest population growth between 2021 and 2022, was overtaken by the South after the average annual change for its 449 counties dropped from 0.51 percent to 0.34 in 2023 compared to a year earlier.
For the first time since 2020, more counties in the Midwest had population gains than losses—542 against 513—for an average percent change of -0.02 percent.
"Domestic migration patterns are changing, and the impact on counties is especially evident," Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Branch, said in a press release. "Areas which experienced high levels of domestic out-migration during the pandemic, such as in the Midwest and Northeast, are now seeing more counties with population growth" she added.
"Meanwhile, county population growth is slowing down out west, such as in Arizona and Idaho."
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Following the two Texas metropolitan areas, the Georgia cities of Atlanta, Sandy Springs and Roswell had the third fastest-growing population, having collectively added 68,585 new residents to their population count between July 2022 and July 2023.
Two Florida metropolitan areas, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford and Tampa-St.Petersburg-Clearwater, were respectively in fourth and fifth position, with population gains of 54,916 and 51,622.
Here's a list of the top 10 fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country, and the number of residents they each added:
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas: 152,598
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Texas: 139,789
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Georgia: 68,585
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida: 54,916
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida: 51,622
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, North Carolina-South Carolina: 50,458
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas: 50,105
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona: 49,240
- San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas: 48,071
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida: 43,387
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek Reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. and European politics, global affairs ... Read more
