Fastest-Growing U.S. Metro Areas Since 2021 (2025)
Population change between the 2021 and 2025 Census estimates. Among the 56 metro areas with at least 1 million people, Fresno, CA ranks first at +18.7%. Across all 384 metros with data, the leader is Mayagüez, PR (+113.5%). The U.S. figure is +3.0%.
Metro areas with 1 million+ residents
56 metro areas, ranked.
| Rank | Metro area | Population change since 2021 | Population 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresno, CA | +18.7% | 1,203,383 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | +11.4% | 2,620,945 |
| 3 | Raleigh, NC | +10.2% | 1,595,720 |
| 4 | Orlando, FL | +9.9% | 2,957,672 |
| 5 | Houston, TX | +9.7% | 7,904,627 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | +9.2% | 8,477,157 |
| 7 | Nashville, TN | +9.2% | 2,198,378 |
| 8 | Jacksonville, FL | +9.0% | 1,785,500 |
| 9 | Louisville, KY | +9.0% | 1,400,719 |
| 10 | Charlotte, NC | +8.8% | 2,938,830 |
| 11 | Grand Rapids, MI | +8.4% | 1,183,645 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | +8.1% | 2,813,140 |
| 13 | Greenville, SC | +7.8% | 1,014,101 |
| 14 | Birmingham, AL | +7.5% | 1,197,766 |
| 15 | Tampa, FL | +6.2% | 3,418,895 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | +5.7% | 5,228,938 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | +5.5% | 6,481,548 |
| 18 | Richmond, VA | +5.4% | 1,388,129 |
| 19 | Las Vegas, NV | +5.0% | 2,407,226 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | +4.9% | 1,512,813 |
| 21 | Miami, FL | +4.9% | 6,391,072 |
| 22 | Tulsa, OK | +4.5% | 1,069,782 |
| 23 | Columbus, OH | +4.2% | 2,242,028 |
| 24 | Denver, CO | +4.0% | 3,092,665 |
| 25 | Omaha, NE | +3.9% | 1,010,544 |
| 26 | Seattle, WA | +3.7% | 4,161,883 |
| 27 | Salt Lake City, UT | +3.6% | 1,308,377 |
| 28 | Indianapolis, IN | +3.5% | 2,204,583 |
| 29 | Kansas City, MO | +3.2% | 2,271,012 |
| 30 | Pittsburgh, PA | +2.9% | 2,421,992 |
| 31 | Boston, MA | +2.7% | 5,034,221 |
| 32 | Sacramento, CA | +2.7% | 2,477,274 |
| 33 | Minneapolis, MN | +2.7% | 3,790,295 |
| 34 | Riverside, CA | +2.5% | 4,769,007 |
| 35 | Cincinnati, OH | +2.3% | 2,313,506 |
| 36 | Tucson, AZ | +2.2% | 1,074,685 |
| 37 | Providence, RI | +1.9% | 1,708,161 |
| 38 | New York, NY | +1.7% | 20,112,448 |
| 39 | Washington, DC | +1.7% | 6,465,900 |
| 40 | San Jose, CA | +1.7% | 1,984,473 |
| 41 | Philadelphia, PA | +1.6% | 6,329,118 |
| 42 | Portland, OR | +1.2% | 2,541,771 |
| 43 | Baltimore, MD | +0.7% | 2,857,781 |
| 44 | Detroit, MI | +0.6% | 4,390,913 |
| 45 | Milwaukee, WI | +0.5% | 1,575,010 |
| 46 | Memphis, TN | +0.5% | 1,343,277 |
| 47 | St. Louis, MO | +0.2% | 2,812,963 |
| 48 | San Francisco, CA | +0.1% | 4,630,041 |
| 49 | San Diego, CA | −0.1% | 3,282,248 |
| 50 | Buffalo, NY | −0.6% | 1,155,653 |
| 51 | Virginia Beach, VA | −0.6% | 1,795,250 |
| 52 | Chicago, IL | −0.8% | 9,433,437 |
| 53 | Los Angeles, CA | −1.2% | 12,844,441 |
| 54 | San Juan, PR | −1.9% | 2,030,089 |
| 55 | Rochester, NY | −2.7% | 1,056,149 |
| 56 | Hartford, CT | −3.3% | 1,171,426 |
Top 25 of all 384 metro areas
Including smaller metros, which can show more extreme values.
| Rank | Metro area | Population change since 2021 | Population 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayagüez, PR | +113.5% | 206,032 |
| 2 | Wilmington, NC | +68.9% | 492,772 |
| 3 | Sandusky, OH | +50.7% | 112,777 |
| 4 | Atlantic City, NJ | +35.3% | 372,047 |
| 5 | Bend, OR | +30.1% | 266,376 |
| 6 | Panama City, FL | +29.0% | 231,174 |
| 7 | La Crosse, WI | +23.0% | 171,182 |
| 8 | Spartanburg, SC | +21.4% | 407,656 |
| 9 | Ponce, PR | +20.0% | 262,792 |
| 10 | Fresno, CA | +18.7% | 1,203,383 |
| 11 | Lake Charles, LA | +18.1% | 246,535 |
| 12 | Auburn, AL | +17.2% | 207,724 |
| 13 | Helena, MT | +16.9% | 99,188 |
| 14 | Reno, NV | +16.7% | 580,213 |
| 15 | Lakeland, FL | +16.1% | 874,790 |
| 16 | Ocala, FL | +14.7% | 442,660 |
| 17 | Joplin, MO | +14.4% | 208,796 |
| 18 | Hinesville, GA | +14.2% | 90,610 |
| 19 | Lubbock, TX | +13.8% | 371,526 |
| 20 | Port St. Lucie, FL | +12.9% | 568,721 |
| 21 | Midland, TX | +12.0% | 192,972 |
| 22 | Daphne, AL | +11.9% | 267,761 |
| 23 | St. George, UT | +11.7% | 213,670 |
| 24 | Sioux Falls, SD | +11.7% | 315,496 |
| 25 | Punta Gorda, FL | +11.5% | 217,212 |
Notes
Which large U.S. metro ranks first?+
Fresno, CA (+18.7%), among metro areas with 1 million or more residents, based on 2025 Census data.
Where does this data come from?+
The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, the most recent annual data for metro areas.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates (released September 2026), with 2024 and 2021 for trends. Figures are survey estimates with margins of error; small differences between metros may not be meaningful. Metro areas use the official Metropolitan Statistical Area boundaries. Compiled and analyzed by Metro Research. Methodology.
Free to cite with a link to this page. Download the full data (CSV).