Additional Coverage:
- North Texas dominates in population growth as big blue cities fail to recover to pre-pandemic levels (foxnews.com)
Texas Small Cities Lead U.S. Population Growth While Major Blue Cities Struggle to Recover
New data from the U.S. Census Bureau highlights a striking trend: Texas small cities are experiencing the fastest population growth in the nation, while many large metropolitan areas traditionally known as blue hubs are lagging behind in post-pandemic recovery.
Topping the list is Celina, Texas, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, which recorded an impressive 24.6% population increase. This marks the second consecutive year Celina has been the fastest-growing city in the country among those with populations over 20,000. Other rapidly expanding cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs-Princeton, Melissa, and Anna-also rank among the top five, alongside Fulshear near Houston.
Celina’s mayor, Ryan Tubbs, attributes the city’s appeal to its excellent schools, safe neighborhoods, vibrant community life, and business-friendly infrastructure. “Families are drawn to Celina for our outstanding schools, safe neighborhoods, and dynamic community life, while businesses recognize the strategic advantages of our location, robust infrastructure, and supportive environment,” he said in a recent interview with a local news station.
Beyond Texas, the South as a whole is driving much of the nation’s growth. The region claims 10 of the 15 fastest-growing cities nationwide and 11 of the 12 largest numeric population gains.
South Carolina, in particular, has emerged as the fastest-growing state by percentage, with a 1.7% population increase fueled by an influx of more than 82,000 domestic migrants from July 2022 to July 2023. North Carolina also leads in net domestic migration.
In contrast, several major blue states and their large cities continue to face population declines. Cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago have experienced ongoing net migration losses.
Los Angeles County, for example, has seen its population fall from roughly 10 million in 2020 to approximately 9.7 million currently, losing over 56,000 residents between 2022 and 2023 alone. New York City similarly lost more residents than it gained last year.
Demographer George M. Hayward of the Census Bureau explains that many large counties, which usually benefit from international migration, have seen reduced gains in this area, contributing to their slower or negative population growth.
As Americans increasingly “vote with their feet,” these demographic shifts reflect broader economic and social changes, with fast-growing southern cities attracting new residents seeking favorable living conditions and opportunities.