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U.S. cities are growing again thanks to immigration

Summary

U.S. metro areas are experiencing renewed population growth, primarily driven by immigration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Between 2023 and 2024, metro areas added 3.2 million residents, a 1.1% increase, surpassing the overall U.S. population growth rate of 1%. Nearly 90% of metro areas grew during this period, with cities like Austin and Raleigh seeing the largest increases. Immigration accounted for 2.7 million of the total metro area population gain. Cities that lost residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as New York and San Francisco, have started recovering. Experts are monitoring how Trump administration policies may affect future immigration trends and urban population growth.

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