Community Corner
Census Data Show Austin Metro Area Nation's Fastest-Growing
Austin-Round Rock metro area grew by 53,086 people in 2018, bringing population to 2.16 million — a 2.5 increase from the previous year.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — The five-county region encompassing the Austin metropolitan area — Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Caldwell and Hays — is the nation's fastest-growing among metros with at least 1 million residents, the latest U.S. Census Bureau population data released Thursday show.
It's the 8th consecutive year the region has been at the top ranks for growth. According to the findings, the Austin-Round Rock metro area grew by 53,086 people, bringing the population to 2.16 million. That's a 2.5 percent increase from 2017 of which 70 percent is attributed to migration, according to the data. Estimates figure some 155 people per day move into Austin, many lured by high-paying jobs in a burgeoning local tech industry.
Other factors prompted the mass migration include a comparatively lower cost of living than found in other parts of the country and quality of life considerations, the findings show. While impressive, the growth has actually slowed in recent years, according to the data. The all-time high in terms of population increase was the 3.16 percent posted in 2014, as the data show.
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The census figures shed light on other regions, with several in Texas distinguishing themselves for brisk population gains.
Top 10 most populous counties in 2018:
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Los Angeles County, California
Cook County, Illinois
Harris County, Texas
Maricopa County, Arizona
San Diego County, California
Orange County, California
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Dallas County, Texas
Kings County, New York
Riverside County, California
Top 10 counties for numeric growth from 2017-18:
Maricopa County, Arizona
Clark County, Nevada
Harris County, Texas
Collin County, Texas
Riverside County, California
King County, Washington
Orange County, Florida
Tarrant County, Texas
Bexar County, Texas
Hillsborough County, Florida
Top 10 most populous metropolitan areas in 2018:
New York-Newark-Jersey City
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Top 10 metropolitan areas for numeric growth from 2017-18:
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Austin-Round Rock
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
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