The U.S. Census Bureau released its analysis of population change among the country’s 371 metropolitan areas. The period of the analysis covered July 1, 2014, to July 1, 2015. While some cities posted spectacular growth, nine cities had counts of population attrition above 2,000.
One of the largest cities in America lost the most people. The population of Chicago dropped 6,263. Old cities across the rust belt made up a large portion of the list. Flint lost 2,085 and Pittsburgh lost 5,051. Youngstown lost 3,625, while Cleveland lost 3,269.
The balance of the nine cities that lost the most population were Farmington, N.M., at 5,253; Elizabeth Town, Ky. at 3,291; Charleston, W.V., at 2,201; and Hinesville, Ga., at 2,199.
Eight cities lost 1% or more of their populations over the same period. Farmington lost 4.2%; Hinesville 2.6%; Elizabeth Town 2.2%; Pine Bluff, Ark., 1.1%; and Watertown, N.Y., 1.1%. Decatur, Ill., lost 1.0%, as did Charleston and Albany, Ga.
Some cities had staggering additions to their populations, particularly several in Texas, where four metro areas added a combined 400,000. According to the Census analysis:
The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro areas added about 159,000 and 145,000 residents, respectively — the largest gains of any metro areas in the nation. Two additional Texas metro areas adjacent to each other — Austin-Round Rock and San Antonio-New Braunfels — were each also among the 16 nationwide to gain 50,000 or more people over the period.
These four Texas metro areas collectively added about 412,000 people. Texas as a whole gained about 490,000.
Several other cities added large numbers of people. The population of Atlanta rose by 95,431, the third most of any U.S. city. In fourth place, Phoenix added 87,988. The largest metro area, New York, added 87,186, and the nation’s second largest metro, Los Angeles, added 85,671.
Methodology: The Census Bureau develops county, metro area and micro area population estimates by measuring population change since the most recent census. The Census Bureau uses births, deaths, administrative records and survey data to develop estimates of population.
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