Newly released data from the United States Census Bureau reveals that nine of the 10 fastest-growing cities and towns in America are located in Texas. Analysts are all of one mind in believing that the reason more Americans are choosing to live in Texas is due to the lower cost of living.
According to the latest data, the nine cities and towns in Texas that have experienced the biggest population growth from 2020 to 2023 are Celina (143.2 percent), Fulshear (142.7 percent), Royce City (76 percent), Melissa (64.4 percent), Princeton (59.8 percent), Anna (58.3 percent), Forney (48.5 percent), Manor (44.9 percent) and Georgetown (40.1 percent).
The other city is Amherst, Massachusetts, which saw population growth of 44.9 percent. (Related: POLL: 40% of Californians considering LEAVING due to high cost of living, soft-on-crime policies, woke politics.)
In 2020, the city of Celina, about 40 miles north of Dallas, only had around 17,800 residents. By July 2023, the city had become the fastest-growing city in the U.S., with 43,300 residents. The median home price of approximately $680,000 in Celina is considerably higher than in Dallas ($479,000). However, new residents are attracted to other factors, like the relatively speedy commute, well-ranked schools and low crime rates. Celina also offers a vibrant cultural scene, like the recent Cajun Fest, which featured a large crawfish boil, live alligator shows, a family-friendly carnival and a performance by country star Aaron Watson.
Similarly, Fulshear, Texas, ranked second in population growth, saw its population grow from 17,558 in 2020 to 42,616 in 2023. Fulshear, located approximately 30 miles west of Houston, also has elevated home prices, with a median of $519,000. However, its 142.7 percent increase from 2020 to 2023 is partly due to its proximity to Houston, which is just an hour's drive away.
These and the other fastest-growing cities in Texas benefit greatly from the state's lower cost of living, the absence of personal income tax and lower overall tax burdens compared to states like California or New York.
Many companies are moving here for tax purposes, and there's no income tax," said Wendy Flynn who works at Texas real estate firm Keller Williams. "And there's a variety of communities to live in, whether it is a bustling metropolitan area or a charming small town."
Texas joins California as state with over 30 million population
Another Census Bureau report in 2023 declared that Texas had officially joined California as a state with a population exceeding 30 million.
As of 2022, Texas' population stood at 30,029,572, trailing only California's 39,029,342. From 2000 to 2022, Texas saw a remarkable population increase of 9,085,073, the largest gain of any state and almost three million more than Florida, the next largest-gaining state. This 43 percent jump over two decades made Texas the fourth fastest-growing state, following Nevada, Utah and Idaho.
About half of Texas's population gain since 2000 resulted from natural increase (more births than deaths), 29 percent from net domestic migration and 22 percent from net international migration. Harris County, home to Houston, led the state in population growth, adding a net 1,366,674 residents between 2000 and 2022. Rockwall County, the fastest-growing county, saw its population nearly triple, with a growth rate of 182 percent.
Several counties within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area also experienced significant growth. Tarrant County, the fifth fastest-growing county, gained nearly 700,000 residents, while the population of Kaufman County rose by 139 percent. Collin County grew by 132 percent, adding 659,578 residents and Denton County saw a 123 percent increase, with a net gain of 538,490 people.
Rockwall County was not only the fastest-growing county in Texas but also the second-fastest-growing county in the United States, behind Lincoln County, South Dakota. Additionally, eight other Texas counties (Hays, Williamson, Fort Bend, Kaufman, Comal, Collin, Montgomery, and Denton) ranked among the 25 fastest-growing counties between 2000 and 2022.
Ten Texas counties (Harris, Tarrant, Bexar, Collin, Denton, Fort Bend, Travis, Williamson, Montgomery and Dallas) were also among the top gainers nationally. Harris County was the nation's second largest-gaining county, after Maricopa County, Arizona.
From 2000 to 2022, Texas gained an average of 412,958 residents annually. In 2010, Texas's population was just two-thirds that of California. By 2022, it was more than three-fourths that of California. Historically, Texas had more people than California in 1930 and the 2030 Census will reveal where both states stand a century later.
Learn more about Texas at GreaterTexan.com.
Watch this episode of “The Dollar Vigilante” as Jeff Berwick talks about how the Inflation Reduction Act means more taxes for hardworking Americans.
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