New York City, Los Angeles and Houston saw the largest numeric gains
The United States Census Bureau released a report indicating nearly all American cities have had an average 0.3% population boom from 2023 to 2024. New York City, Los Angeles and Houston saw the largest numeric gains.
With a 30.6% growth rate, Princeton, Texas, tops the list as the fastest-growing city. Two cities, Jacksonville, Florida and Fort Worth, Texas, crossed the 1 million population threshold.
After years of population shrinkage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and falling birth rates, analysts see the growth as a reversal in the trend. Several factors have contributed to it, say analysts.
- A nationwide population growth of 1% between June 2023 and June 2024 played a major role.
- A rise in immigration also added to the population growth, according to the report.
- An increase in migration from rural to urban settings also contributed to cities’ growing population.
- Diversity also grew in predominantly-White states like Georgia and cities like Boston.
Interestingly, cities in the South and the West are gaining more people compared to the Northeast and Midwest.
According to the report, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Illinois lost population.