Housing News

Top Destinations: These 10 Cities Gained the Most New Residents

April 18, 2025

The Big Apple is getting even bigger.

The New York City metropolitan area gained the most residents in the nation between July 1, 2023 and July 1, 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. (Metros include the main city and surrounding towns, suburbs, and smaller urban areas.)

New York rebounded from the peak of the pandemic, when almost 277,000 residents left the area between 2020 and 2021.

“The narrative for the last few years has all been about New Yorkers ‘fleeing the city,’ which was an overstatement,” said New York City-based housing appraiser Jonathan Miller of Miller Samuel. “Housing demand has been elevated for the past year, both for sales and rentals.”

New York wasn’t the only part of the country to have more people moving in than leaving. Births also contributed to the population gains.

About 88% of metropolitan areas grew between 2023 and 2024, according to the Census report.

Texas, in particular, experienced strong population growth.

The Houston metro area added the second most residents in the nation, followed by the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

In recent years, Texas, which has the second largest population in the country, has been gaining new businesses and residents drawn by the lower taxes and cost of living.

Florida, a pandemic hot spot and popular retiree destination, also continued to attract new residents.

Neither Texas nor Florida have a state income tax. That can make them more affordable destinations than some pricier Northeastern and Western states.