After a brief tenure in the top-ten list of America's largest cities, Austin has slipped back to the 11th position, as per recent estimates from the United States Census Bureau.
Between July 2022 and July 2023, Austin recorded a net gain of 4,464 new residents, bringing its total population to 979,882. Jacksonville, Fla., however, leapfrogged over Austin to secure the 10th position with a population of 985,843.
Austin's growth rate during this period was slightly below the national average at 0.42 percent compared to the national growth rate of 0.5 percent. This trend aligns with those observed in other large cities since the onset of the pandemic. During this period, four out of five cities with populations exceeding half a million witnessed annual population increases below one percent.
The deceleration in Austin's growth pace is also reflected in surrounding suburban areas. Despite still being among the top-10 fastest-growing cities, Georgetown saw its population expansion rate drop from 14.4 percent to 10.6 percent. However, even with this slowdown, Georgetown ranked eighth among cities with the most significant numeric increases by adding more than 9,000 people for a new total of 96,312 residents.
City Demographer Lila Valencia said: "For decades, the red-hot regional economy coupled with a relatively lower cost of living yielded substantial population growth in Central Texas." She added that it was not surprising to see population growth slowing down and Austin slipping back into position as the 11th largest city due to volatility in the tech sector and rising housing costs post-pandemic.
Despite losing its spot as the tenth largest city, there is a silver lining for Austin: Travis, Williamson and Hays counties added more than 40,000 new housing units combined. This increased supply alongside less intense demand pressures could be related to recent stabilization in median home prices and rents in the Austin area.
The Census data plays a pivotal role in determining how the federal government distributes billions of dollars in grants and program funding for social services, community development, and infrastructure projects. It also informs the redrawing of boundaries for representative districts for the U.S. Congress, Texas Legislature, and Austin City Council districts.
For more information, visit AustinTexas.gov/Demographics.