According to new population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, several cities are seeing sizeable population growth. And it’s not just New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. This article from CityLab reports that many cities in the Sunbelt are overtaking those popular urban destinations.
Of the cities that are comparable in size and population to San Francisco, 11 cities actually showed more growth – both in raw population number and percentage change – from 2013 to 2014: Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix, San Diego, Dallas, Fort Worth, Charlotte, Denver, Seattle and Columbus.
The Sunbelt metros weren’t doing so well when the recession started, but in the last couple of years, this region has seen an expanding job market and an increase in affordable housing stock. Both factors have been drawing young people and minorities to the sunny south, explains Brookings’ demographer William Frey. Today’s Census data suggests that cities in states such as Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina have experienced massive growth spurts as a result.
