Phoenix added nearly 17,000 residents last year, maintaining its status as the nation's fifth-largest city.

Yes, but: New U.S. Census Bureau population estimates show that we're not growing as quickly as other western and southern cities.

Zoom in: Phoenix ranked eighth for numeric growth between 2023 and 2024 among U.S. cities, falling well behind other Sun Belt cities like Houston (43,000 new residents), San Antonio (24,000) and Fort Worth, Texas (23,000).

State of play: From 2020-2022, Phoenix was among the top five growth cities nationwide, growing neck-and-neck with its Texas counterparts.

• That changed in 2023. Although Phoenix is still adding a significant number of people each year, the Texas cities are growing at a much faster clip.
• Meanwhile, people have begun moving back to major metros like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago (all of which saw population declines at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic), pushing Phoenix further down in the annual numeric growth rankings.

The intrigue: One major change occurred between 2020 and 2023 that likely made Phoenix less appealing to newcomers — our housing got a lot less affordable.

• Phoenix didn't have enough housing to meet the demand of people moving here during the pandemic, which drove up home prices.
• The affordability issue only exacerbated when mortgage rates surged starting in 2022.

1 silver lining: According to the new Census Bureau data, Maricopa County added more housing units than any other U.S. county last year.

• The 38,000 new units are more than double the population growth.

Tell your new neighbor

Neon signs from downtown Mesa's past are getting a new lease on life.

Why it matters: Historic preservation advocates have spent more than a decade saving iconic Main Street signs from the wrecking ball. Now, they'll be showcased.

State of play: The city of Mesa and Mesa Preservation Foundation opened its Neon Garden last week behind The Post building downtown.

Zoom in: The garden features five restored signs from the 1940s-1970s and one replica:

• Bill Johnson's Big Apple: The towering western-themed sign was a focal point in downtown from 1977 to 2018.
• Watson's Flowers: This 30-foot sign from the '50s collapsed during a windstorm in 2014 and was donated to the Mesa Preservation Foundation in 2019.
• Dairy Queen: A porcelain ice cream cone is the centerpiece of this sign, which sat atop the old-school Dairy Queen near the Mesa Mormon Temple until its 2018 closure.
• Smiley Ford: The sign is believed to have been installed around 1960, when the city's first Ford dealership relocated to Main Street and Mesa Drive.
• Frontier Motel: The sign marked one of the nearly 60 motels that dotted Main Street in the '50s.
• Diving Lady replica: The animated "diving lady" sign still standing outside the Starlite Motel was nearly destroyed during a 2010 microburst. The community rallied to raise funds to restore it, and it was relit in 2013. It marked the beginning of the Mesa Preservation Foundation's quest to save neon signs, so the city commissioned a smaller replica version to display in the Neon Garden.

What's next: The Mesa Preservation Foundation has salvaged 15 other signs still in need of restoration, president Vic Linoff told The Arizona Republic.

More pics

👀 A state grand jury indicted 20 people, a mental health business and a church in connection with a Medicaid fraud scheme involving sober living homes. (Associated Press)

🎓 The IRS reaffirmed Grand Canyon University's nonprofit status after a four-year audit, several days after the U.S. Department of Education rescinded a $37.7 million fine for allegedly misleading students about costs. (Fox 10)

🤔 The Chandler City Council is seeking to clarify the city's rules on term limits after questions were raised about Mayor Kevin Hartke's eligibility to hold office. (AZcentral)

🍷 Jim McCain, son of former U.S. Sen. John McCain, is selling a 4-acre vineyard in Cornville with a Tuscan-inspired home for $2.2 million. (Mansion Global)

Elon Musk declared, "We're coming for you," to people who organized violence and death threats against Tesla over his support for President Trump. (Axios)

• A federal grand jury in April indicted 35-year-old Ian Moses over allegations that he committed vandalism and arson at a Mesa Tesla dealership.

Live Nation's new summer concert promotion is coming, and the live music behemoth will offer $30 tickets to roughly 1,000 concerts.

Why it matters: The "$30 Ticket to Summer" launches today and includes shows at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, including:

• June 20: Dierks Bentley
• July 6: Kesha and Scissor Sisters
• Aug. 28: Nelly
• Sept. 8-9: $uicideboy$

Between the lines: Tickets purchased through the offer include all fees in the $30 cost, according to Live Nation. Any taxes, which will differ between venues, will be added at checkout.

The bottom line: Enjoying the summer concert season doesn't have to cost you hundreds.