Vast majority of population growth in Texas seen in cities, according to latest census data

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square

Of the 14 U.S. cities that grew by 100,000 people or more in the 2020 census, five were in Texas, with many of its largest metropolitan populations growing dramatically.

Since 2010, Texas added another 4 million residents – nearly the entire population of neighboring Oklahoma and more than any other state in total numbers. Texas now has 29 million residents, second only to California.

Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio each gained more than 100,000 people over the last decade. Among the 10 fastest growing cities in the U.S. are four suburbs in Texas: Frisco and McKinney near Dallas; Conroe near Houston, and New Braunfels near San Antonio.

The Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas gained at least 1.2 million people over the past 10 years.

Hispanic, Black and Asian residents accounted for 95% of Texas’ population growth, mirroring of a national trend.

Nationally, those who identify as multiracial increased by 276% from 9 million in 2010 to 33.8 million in 2020. Hispanic people now make up 18.7% of the U.S. population.

However, the Census Bureau warns, “data comparisons between the 2020 Census and 2010 Census race data should be made with caution, taking into account the improvements we have made to the Hispanic origin and race questions and the ways we code what people tell us.”

Overall, the U.S. population grew by 7.4% from 2010, the second slowest growth on record, according to the census data. Only during the 1930s, during the Great Depression, did the U.S. record a slower population growth rate.

There were 308.7 million people recorded by the census in 2010 compared to 331.4 million recorded in 2020.

West Virginia, Mississippi, and Illinois all reported population declines.

Utah was the fastest-growing state over the past decade, increasing its overall population by 18.4%. Utah was followed by Idaho, Texas, North Dakota, and Nevada, which each increased its population by at least 15%.

New York City remains the largest U.S. city with a population gain of 7.7%. The top largest cities in the U.S. by population are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Phoenix.

“Population growth this decade was almost entirely in metro areas,” Marc Perry, a senior demographer at the U.S. Census Bureau. “Texas is a good example of this, where parts of the Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Midland, and Odessa metro areas had population growth, whereas many of the state’s other counties had population declines.”