America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers
Sun Belt Cities and Towns Led Nation in Population Growth
While the nation?s fastest-growing cities continue to be in Sun Belt states, new population estimates show that some of the top gainers are now on the outskirts of metropolitan areas or in rural areas.
Yesterday?s release of U.S. Census Bureau July 1, 2023, population estimates for cities and towns reveals geographic shifts in population growth compared to pre-pandemic July 1, 2019, estimates.
The estimates also show that, on average, many small and midsize U.S. cities with populations under 50,000 saw relatively higher growth rates in 2023 than in 2019 before the pandemic hit while large cities generally grew at slower rates.
Overall, the most populous cities continued to return to pre-pandemic trends thanks to increased growth rates and smaller population declines.
More People Moved Farther Away From City Centers Since COVID-19
In a possible sign of the COVID-19 pandemic?s lasting impact, the country?s fastest-growing places are increasingly likely to be far-flung exurban communities on the outer margins of metro areas, according to July 1, 2023, population estimates released yesterday.
Fewer of the fastest-growing places between 2022 and 2023 were inner suburbs than in 2019 before the pandemic, and more were on the far outskirts of metro areas ? 30, 40 and even more than 60 miles away from the largest city?s downtown.
?While the Census Bureau doesn?t define exurbs, we tend to think of them as far outer suburbs of metro areas, and they often have a mix of urban and rural character,? said Luke Rogers, a demographer in the Census Bureau?s Population Division. ?Exurbs have sometimes been among the most rapidly growing communities, but this appears to be even more true now than before the pandemic.?
Multiple factors are likely behind the increased growth of exurbs.
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