5 small cities in Texas post fastest growth in US

Key Points:

• Small cities within major Texas metro areas led U.S. population growth from mid-2024 to mid-2025, with Celina, Princeton, Melissa, Anna, and Fulshear ranking among the fastest-growing cities with populations over 20,000, experiencing growth rates between 15% and 25%.
• Texas dominated population gains, with nine of the top ten cities by numeric growth located in the South, driven by a strong job market and affordability; Fort Worth surpassed Jacksonville to become the 10th most populous U.S. city, while Austin exceeded 1 million residents for the first time.
• Seattle was the only non-Southern city in the top 10 for numeric population gains, benefiting from new housing developments and international immigration, particularly from China and India, which accounted for nearly 75% of its population increase.
• Population losses occurred mainly in cities with tight housing markets and those affected by natural disasters, such as Twentynine Palms, California, and Key West, Florida, where limited housing stock and high costs contributed to declines of up to 2.9%.
• Additional significant population declines were seen in areas impacted by hurricanes and severe weather in late 2024, including several cities on Florida’s Gulf Coast and Asheville, North Carolina, due to flooding and tornado damage.