A long two years...
One of the more interesting data points this year is the United States’ population breakdown by city. The last census came in 2020, which is now better known as the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic Era, one that placed a herculean squeeze on the entire population.
The hardships and aftermath—unemployment followed by inflation, the overall cost of living, and political turmoil—had many heading out of America’s cities in search of more affordable options that offered a perceived better quality of life.
Or, so some seem to have thought.
The 2022 numbers tell a different tale. Only four cities in the top 50 most-populated experienced a decrease in the past two years. And while some of the increases of the other 46 weren’t massive spikes, it still shows where most Americans are calling home these days.
Take a look…
50. Arlington, Texas
2022 population: 400,032 (.73% increase)
49. Wichita, Kansas
2022 population: 400,564 (.38% increase)
48. Bakersfield, California
2022 population: 414,649 (1.37% increase)
47. Tulsa, Oklahoma
2022 population: 417,298 (.51% increase)
46. Minneapolis, Minnesota
2022 population: 439,430 (1.09% increase)
45. Oakland, Californiia
2022 population: 450,630 (1.12% increase)
44. Miami, Florida
2022 population: 450,797 (.96% increase)
43. Virginia Beach, Virginia
2022 population: 463,766 (.46% increase)
42. Long Beach, California
2022 population: 467,638 (.10% increase)
41. Raleigh, North Carolina
2022 population: 480,419 (1.34% increase)
40. Colorado Springs, Colorado
2022 population: 491,467 (1.29% increase)
39. Omaha, Nebraska
2022 population: 501,469 (1.56% increase)
38. Atlanta, Georgia
2022 population: 514,457 (1.55% increase)
37. Mesa, Arizona
2022 population: 517,302 (1.28% increase)
36. Kansas City, Missouri
2022 population: 517,750 (.94% increase)
35. Sacramento, California
2022 population: 536,635 (1.10% increase)
34. Tucson, Arizona
2022 population: 547,131 (.41% increase)
33. Fresno, California
2022 population: 551,595 (.87% increase)
32. Albuquerque, New Mexico
2022 population: 568,301 (.33% increase)
31. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2022 population: 573,700 (.31% decrease)
30. Baltimore, Maryland
2022 population: 578,658 (.60% decrease)
29. Detroit, Michigan
2022 population: 624,177 (1.18% decrease)
28. Memphis, Tennessee
2022 population: 630,348 (.22% decrease)
27. Louisville, Kentucky
2022 population: 630,782 (.35% increase)
26. Las Vegas, Nevada
2022 population: 653,533 (.90% increase)
25. Portland, Oregon
2022 population: 666,249 (1.04% increase)
24. El Paso, Texas
2022 population: 684,753 (.43% increase)
23. Boston, Massachusetts
2022 population: 687,257 (.85% increase)
22. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
2022 population: 701,266 (1.46% increase)
21. Nashville, Tennessee
2022 population: 707,091 (1.26% increase)
20. Washington, D.C.
2022 population: 707,109 (1.26% increase)
19. Denver, Colorado
2022 population: 738,594 (1.59% increase)
18. Seattle, Washington
2022 population: 762,687 (1.71% increase)
17. San Francisco, California
2022 population: 887,711 (.78% increase)
16. Indianapolis, Indiana
2022 population: 901,082 (.75% increase)
15. Charlotte, North Carolina
2022 population: 903,211 (1.61% increase)
14. Columbus, Ohio
2022 population: 929,492 (1.29% increase)
13. Fort Worth, Texas
2022 population: 954,457 (1.90% increase)
12. Jacksonville, Florida
2022 population: 975,177 (1.33% increase)
11. Austin, Texas
2022 population: 996,147 (1.75% increase)
10. San Jose, California
2022 population: 1,026,700 (.66% increase)
9. Dallas, Texas
2022 population: 1,325,691 (.81% increase)
8. San Diego, California
2022 population: 1,402,838 (.57% increase)
7. San Antonio, Texas
2022 population: 1,456,069 (.74% increase)
6. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2022 population: 1,619,355 (.48% increase)
5. Phoenix, Arizona
2022 population: 1,640,641 (1.00% increase)
4. Houston, Texas
2022 population: 2,345,606 (.88% increase)
3. Chicago, Illinois
2022 population: 2,756,546 (.18% iincrease)
2. Los Angeles, California
2022 population: 3,919,973 (.27% increase)
1. New York City, New York
2022 population: 8,930,002 (.71% increase)