Texas suburbs keep booming, immigration slows, census finds
The Texas Tribune • • general
Key Points:
- Texas' population grew by 391,243 (1.2%) between July 2024 and July 2025, reaching over 31 million, with suburban areas around Austin, Dallas, and Houston leading growth while major urban centers slow or decline.
- A 45% drop in international immigration has significantly slowed urban population growth, particularly affecting border metro areas like Laredo, which saw growth nearly stall from 3.2% to 0.2%.
- Waller County near Houston was Texas' fastest-growing county and second-fastest in the U.S., growing 5.7% due to ample land, job growth, and highway access to major cities, attracting residents seeking more space post-COVID.
- Dallas County experienced a population decline with 2,616 more residents leaving than arriving, as people move to surrounding communities offering more affordable and spacious housing options.
- Despite slower immigration, Texas metro regions continue to add hundreds of thousands of residents annually, with Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth leading U.S. metro growth, supported by family formation offsetting declining birth rates.
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