Texas dominates list of America's fastest-growing cities

<div>Welcome to Texas Sign (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)</div>
Welcome to Texas Sign (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

People are moving to Texas in droves, according to new data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Eight of the 15 fastest-growing cities in the U.S. are in the Lone Star State, according to the Census report.

San Antonio topped the list adding about 22,000 residents.

Two North Texas cities made the top 10.

Fort Worth came in second adding more than 21,000 residents.

Celina finished ninth on the list, adding more than 9,000 residents.

Fastest-growing cities in the U.S.

Here are the U.S. cities that saw the biggest growth spurt in 2023, according to the Census:

<div>Tourists enjoy a River Walk boat cruise along the San Antonio River, in downtown San Antonio Texas, on January 23, 2023. (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Tourists enjoy a River Walk boat cruise along the San Antonio River, in downtown San Antonio Texas, on January 23, 2023. (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)
  1. San Antonio, Texas – added about 22,000 residents, population 1.5 million

  2. Fort Worth, Texas – added more than 21,000 residents, population 978,000

  3. Charlotte, N.C. – added more than 15,500 residents, population 911,000

  4. Jacksonville, Fla. – added 14,000 residents, population 986,000

  5. Port St. Lucie, Fla. – added over 13,000 residents, population 245,000

  6. Atlanta, Ga. – added 12,000 residents, population 511,000

  7. Houston, Texas – added over 11,500 residents, population 2.3 million

  8. Georgetown, Texas – added over 9,000 residents, population 96,000

  9. Celina, Texas – added over 9,000 residents, population 43,000

  10. Raleigh, N.C. – added nearly 9,000 residents, population 482,000

Largest Percentage Increase in U.S.

North Texas also dominated the list of the largest population increase by percentage for cities with populations of 20,000 or more.

Here is the list:

  1. Celina, Texas, +26.6% 

  2. Fulshear, Texas, +25.6%

  3. Princeton, Texas, +22.3%

  4. Anna, Texas, +16.9%

  5. Lathrop, Calif., +13.6%

  6. Centerton, Ark., +11.2%

  7. Haines, Fla., +10.8%

  8. Georgetown, Texas, +10.6%

  9. Prosper, Texas, +10.5%

  10. Forney, Texas, +10.4%

Largest cities in the U.S.

Three of the largest cities in the U.S. that had been bleeding residents this decade staunched those departures somewhat. New York City, which has lost almost 550,000 residents this decade so far, saw a drop of only 77,000 residents last year, about three-fifths the numbers from the previous year.

Los Angeles lost only 1,800 people last year, following a decline in the 2020s of almost 78,000 residents. Chicago, which has lost almost 82,000 people this decade, only had a population drop of 8,200 residents last year.

And San Francisco, which has lost a greater share of residents this decade than any other big city — almost 7.5% — actually grew by more than 1,200 residents last year.

Here are the 15 largest cities in America, according to the most recent Census data:

  1. New York City – 8.3 million residents

  2. Los Angeles – nearly 4 million residents

  3. Chicago – 2.7 million residents

  4. Houston – 2.3 million residents

  5. Phoenix – 1.7 million residents

  6. Philadelphia – 1.6 million residents

  7. San Antonio – 1.5 million residents

  8. San Diego – 1.4 million residents

  9. Dallas – 1.3 million residents

  10. Jacksonville – 986,000 residents

  11. Austin – 980,000 residents

  12. Fort Worth – 978,000 residents

  13. San Jose, Calif. – 970,000 residents

  14. Columbus, Ohio – 913,000 residents

  15. Charlotte – 911,000 residents

The Associated Press contributed to this report.