The population of mid-sized U.S. cities remains stable as growth rates slow across the country, a U.S. Census Bureau report released Thursday showed.
Residential growth in smaller cities outside of high-traffic metro areas outpaced other cities. The bureau found that growth was fastest in areas with populations of around 25,000 to 70,000 people.
“Growth in large cities will slow significantly between 2024 and 2025, with some major centers even experiencing small declines,” Census Bureau Population Division statistician Matt Erickson said in a statement in the release.
Erikson added: “In contrast, mid-sized cities have found a ‘Goldilocks zone’ where domestic and international migration combined with new housing helps prevent the slow growth of small towns and metropolitan centres.”
While immigration has increased population growth in mid-sized cities, international migration has also slowed. According to the New York Times, approximately 1.3 million people immigrated to the United States during this period, compared with approximately 2.7 million last year.
Charlotte, North Carolina, the nation’s 14th largest city, added 20,731 residents, while nearby Fort Mill, South Carolina’s population grew 6.8 percent to 38,673, according to the Census Bureau.
A similar pattern can be seen in Texas.
Suburban population growth in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area and the Houston area outpaced major cities.
The Dallas suburb of Celina earned the title of the nation’s fastest-growing city with a 24.6 percent population surge. The Texas cities of Fall Hill, Princeton, Melissa and Anna also experienced a surge in population growth, ranking among the top five cities nationwide with population growth of more than 20,000, according to the report.
Increased interest in moving to southern suburban cities coincides with the exit of major cities, including New York, which has seen the largest population declines in the country.
However, New York remains the most populous city in the United States, followed by Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston.
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