Growth in the Triangle cools slightly but still among nation's fastest
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Population growth is slowing in most counties nationwide amid a massive drop in immigration, new U.S. Census data shows.
- But that isn't stopping the Triangle from still being among the fastest-growing areas in the country.
Why it matters: The new data offers the best look yet at how tighter immigration enforcement is affecting America's demographic makeup, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes.
By the numbers: The Raleigh metro area was the 10th fastest-growing metro in the country between July 2024 and July 2025, growing 2.4% to nearly 1.6 million people.
Driving the news: International migration fell in nine out of 10 U.S. counties between 2024 and 2025 compared to the prior period, the Census Bureau says.
- Other counties stayed flat.
Between the lines: That drop is hitting some areas harder than others.
- Census Bureau demographer George M. Hayward, in a statement: "The nation's largest counties ... are often international migration hubs, gaining large numbers of international migrants and losing people that move to other parts of the country via domestic migration."
- Case in point: California's Los Angeles County lost nearly 54,000 people from 2024 to 2025, down about -0.6%. (It remains the biggest U.S. county, with about 9.7 million people.)
Yes, but: The Census data predates a surge in immigration enforcement activity, including immigration enforcement operations in the Triangle last fall.
Zoom in: Here are some highlights from the Census batch:
- Wake County had the fifth-most growth of any county last year — adding 27,760 residents, or roughly 76 people per day. But it's growth rate has slowed from 2.4% in 2024 to 2.3% in 2025.
- The entire Triangle's net migration was around 39,000 people, which included about 15,000 coming from out of the country and roughly 24,000 from other parts of the country.
- Durham County grew 1.4% in 2025, reaching more than 347,000 residents.
- Across the Triangle, there were around 10,000 more births than deaths.
- The Wilmington metro was the seventh fastest-growing metro, growing 2.6% to nearly 493,000 people.
- Asheville was the only metro area to lose population last year, seeing a decline of 0.1% in the year after Hurricane Helene hit the mountain region.

