Small cities in the Dallas‑Fort Worth and Houston metros posted the strongest growth rates in the nation last year, outpacing even major metros in pure numeric gains, the U.S. Census Bureau said. Celina, a Dallas‑Fort Worth suburb of about 64,000 people, added 12,700 residents—more than Seattle and Houston combined—while Princeton, Melissa, Anna and Fulshear posted year‑over‑year increases of 15% to 25%, according to the agency’s mid‑year estimates. Census Bureau statistician Matt Erickson explained that the “sweet spot” for these communities lies between the largest cities, which felt the brunt of the immigration crackdown, and the smallest towns, which have seen anemic growth. The South’s healthy job market and comparatively affordable housing have drawn new residents, a pattern also reflected in the overall national shift toward Southern metros, said Erickson.
Nine of the ten cities with the largest numeric gains were Southern, with Charlotte, North Carolina; Fort Worth and San Antonio, Texas; and Celina leading the pack, the Census Bureau noted. Fort Worth overtook Jacksonville to become the 10th most populous U.S. city, while Austin surpassed San Jose for the 12th spot, crossing the one‑million‑resident threshold for the first time. Seattle, the only non‑Southern city in the top ten gainers, rebounded after a pandemic‑era population dip, helped by new housing that eased affordability, the Washington State Office of Financial Management said. International migration—particularly from China and India—accounted for almost three‑quarters of Seattle’s growth, the agency’s county‑level estimates showed.
Conversely, Twentynine Palms, California, and Key West, Florida, recorded the steepest population losses, ranging from –2.4% to –2.9%, as tight housing markets and high insurance costs pushed residents away, Census figures indicated. Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck Florida’s Gulf Coast in late 2024, and natural‑disaster damage further depressed growth in affected Floridian cities such as Asheville, North Carolina, and several Gulf‑coast communities, the data demonstrated.