More than two-thirds of Texas’ 30.3 million residents live in four largest metro areas
By Karen Brooks Harper and Ayden Runnels
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Texas added nearly 1.6 million people between 2020 and Jan. 1, with the Austin region — the state’s fastest-growing metro area with 7.2% growth — drawing in the most new residents, according to new population data by the Texas Demographic Center. But Fort Worth added more residents — 48,542 — than any other city.
The so-called “Texas Triangle”— composed of the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin metro areas — now holds a whopping 68% of the state’s 30.3 million residents.
Overall, the population of Texas grew by 4% from January 2020 to January 2023, including new births as well as new residents moving to the area, the data show.
“Texas is growing at a rapid rate because we have high resident retention and are attracting new domestic residents,” said Lauren Leining, a data analyst at Texas 2036, which strategizes on long-term Texas policy. “With new state residents bringing in considerable wealth, Texas should take this opportunity to expand infrastructure in important ways."