AUSTIN (KXAN) — Everything is bigger in Texas, including the population, according to U.S. Census data. Texas is at the top of the list for having four of the fastest growing metro areas in the country.
The Austin metro area has swiftly grown to over two million residents. Census numbers show in 2014 the population at 1.9 million swelling to over two million in one year.
“I was a native of Austin a long time, 30 – 35 years,” said Lesley Kavanaugh, who now lives in Manor.
Kavanaugh made the move three years ago, because she couldn’t afford to buy a home in Austin. She believes all the changes in Austin, aren’t all positive.
“Unfortunately the changes happening in Austin, the African-American community is not benefiting from those changes,” Kavanaugh believes.
Betty and Keith Honeycutt moved to the Manor area years ago because of the affordability. They’re not surprised the population has hit two million.
“It’s believable certainly, and all the small towns have exploded around it,” said Betty. “It’s just amazing.”
Traffic and the cost of living are just two growing pains that come with the growth.
“Why do I live in Austin?! I don’t know, might need to move back out to Cedar Park is what I need to do,” said an Austin driver.
Over 400,000 people settled in the state from July 2014 to July 2015 in the four largest Texas metro areas. In those areas, eight counties majorly contributed to the growth numbers among the 20 counties nation-wide with the largest population growth from 2014 to 2015. The biggest contributor in Austin is Travis county.
Four fastest growing Texas metro areas:
- Houston: The Woodlands and Sugar Land
- Dallas: Fort Worth and Arlington
- Austin: Round Rock
- San Antonio: New Braunfels
There were only three metro areas to land on both national lists with the biggest gains in numbers and the fastest growth in population. On both lists is Austin and Houston for their percentage gains in a one year period.
One of the largest counties in Texas, Fort Bend, had a 4.3 percent population increase during one year. The county grew to 716,087 by 2015.
On the list of smallest counties with the largest growth is Loving, Texas. In 2015 Loving had less than 5,000 people, but saw a percentage growth of 28.7 percent.
