The Seattle metro area is growing faster than the country overall, driven largely by foreign immigration, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Why it matters: An exodus of city dwellers rocked many U.S. metros during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some — including Seattle — are now clawing back residents (and their tax dollars).
Driving the news: The number of people living in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area increased by 66,666 from 2023 to 2024 — a gain of about 1.6% — the Census Bureau said last week.
- By comparison, the total U.S. population rose by 1% during that time, while all U.S. metro areas combined grew by about 1.1%.
State of play: The bulk of the Seattle area’s population growth last year was driven by foreign immigration, a pattern also seen in other U.S. metros, per the Census Bureau…