Population soars in metro regions of Texas

DALLAS (AP) — The U.S. Census Bureau reports the population of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region soared faster over a one-year period than any other in the country, with the Houston area coming in second.

Census estimates released Thursday show nearly 132,000 people were added to the Metroplex from July 2011 to July 2012. Since April 2010 the region's population has grown by nearly 275,000 people.

While the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area did not make that list for numeric increase, it was the seventh fastest growing metro area in the country, with a 3 percent increase from July 2011 to July 2012.

Travis County also had the seventh largest increase in population during that time with 34,381 people moving to the region.

The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area added more than 125,000 people for the one-year period ending in July. Harris County, which constitutes a large part of that area, grew by 80,000 people, more than any other county in the nation.

But it's a different matter in rural counties. In all, 96 of Texas' 254 counties lost population from the 2010 census to July 2012.