Hays County Ranks Second Fastest-Growing County This Decade

Counties

• Growth and decline
  • Out of 3,142 counties and county-equivalents, 1,610 (51.2%) gained population between 2018 and 2019. Nine counties (0.3%) experienced no change in population during this time, while the remaining 1,523 (48.5%) lost population.
  • Between 2010 and 2019, 1,459 (46.4%) counties gained population, and 1,683 (53.6%) lost population.
• Natural increase
  • Of the 3,142 counties, 1,799 (57.3%) experienced a natural increase between 2010 and 2019, meaning the county had more births than deaths.
• Net migration
  • Among the 3,142 counties, 1,290 (41.1%) counties showed positive net migration between 2010 and 2019, meaning more people moved into the county than moved out.
  • Between 2010 and 2019, over half of the counties (63.9%) experienced net domestic out-migration. During the same period, only 13.9% of counties lost population through net international migration.

Municipios

• Of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipios, 45 (57.7%) saw a population increase in the last year. The largest gain (1,027) and fastest growth (2.2%) between 2018 and 2019 were in Gurabo Municipio. Additionally, Gurabo Municipio is the only municipio in Puerto Rico whose population in 2019 was larger than in 2010, increasing by 1,722 people (3.8%).
• Between 2018 and 2019, 67 (85.9%) municipios in Puerto Rico experienced a natural decrease (more deaths than births). Between 2010 and 2019, 18 (23.1%) of the 78 municipios had a natural decrease.

Metropolitan Areas

• Growth
  Three of the top ten metro areas with the largest gains in population between 2010 and 2019 were in Texas. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, had the largest numeric growth, with its population increasing by 1,206,599 (19.0%), followed by Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, increasing by 1,145,654 (19.4%), and Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX, up by 510,760 (29.8%) (Table 5).
• Decline
  • Of the 384 metro areas within the United States, 91 (23.7%) experienced a decline in population between 2010 and 2019. 
  • The five fastest-decreasing metro areas since 2010 were Pine Bluff, AR (-12.4%); Johnstown, PA (-9.4%); Charleston, WV (-7.5%); Beckley, WV (-7.3%); and Danville, IL (-7.2%).
  • All metropolitan areas in Puerto Rico were smaller in 2019 than in 2010. The largest numeric decrease was in the San Juan-Bayamón-Caguas, PR, metro area, which was 327,099 (-13.9%) smaller in 2019 than in 2010. The largest percentage decrease in population since 2010 was in the Yauco, PR, metro area, which declined by 21,407 (-20.0%).

Micropolitan Areas

• Of the 542 micropolitan areas in the United States, 243 (44.8%) gained population between 2010 and 2019. 
• Over one-half (55.9%) of the micropolitan areas in the United States experienced a natural increase in the last year. 352 (64.9%) micropolitan areas had a natural increase between 2010 and 2019.

Vintage 2019 is the last series of population estimates to be released before the completion of the 2020 Decennial Census, which is currently underway across the nation. Data from the 2020 Census will be released beginning this December and running all through 2021.

During the remainder of 2020, the Census Bureau will release estimates of the July 1, 2019 population for the nation, states and counties by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin.

Population estimates for Puerto Rico and its municipios by age and sex will be released as well. These estimates include counties and cities affected by the 2017 hurricane season. Regular releases of the population estimates will resume with the Vintage 2021 estimates series.

TABLE 1

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TABLE 2

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TABLE 3

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TABLE 6

Source: U.S. Census Bureau