San Antonio still a top city for population gain
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San Antonio continues to be a magnet for newcomers.
Why it matters: Signs of big growth in the Sun Belt continue, despite the climate risks associated with living here.
The latest: San Antonio ranked No. 4 nationwide for new residents gained from 2023 to 2024, per new U.S. Census Bureau data.
- We gained 23,945 new residents in that time period.
- The numbers reflect both in- and out-migration, as well as births and deaths.
Flashback: While we're still topping the list, we fell from the No. 1 spot in the same data released last year.
The intrigue: From 2022 to 2023, San Antonio gained nearly 22,000 new residents — so while our numbers still rose, other major U.S. cities rebounded more strongly.
- New York City topped the list with more than 87,000 newcomers, followed by Houston with more than 43,000 and Los Angeles with over 31,000.
Zoom out: Meanwhile in Texas, Fort Worth surpassed Austin to become the 11th most populous U.S. city.
- Princeton, a Dallas suburb, was the fastest-growing U.S. city in 2024. Its population increased by nearly one-third in one year.
The big picture: San Antonio remains the seventh most populous U.S. city, with a population of 1.53 million in 2024, per the Census Bureau.
What we're watching: When the Alamo City will finally beat out Philadelphia (population 1.57 million) for the No. 6 most populous city spot.
The bottom line: Everywhere's still growing in Texas.