Immigrants fuel US city growth; Miami, Illinois top destinations: Report

Immigrants kept the largest urban counties in the United States growing last year, with the core counties of Houston, Miami, and Phoenix seeing the most growth due to international migration.

 

According to population estimates released by the US Census Bureau on Thursday, Harris County, Texas, Miami-Dade County, Florida, and Maricopa County, Arizona, saw population increases mainly due to people moving in from outside the country. Without international migration, these counties would have had no overall population gain, as more residents moved out than in. Miami-Dade County would have seen a population decline, as the number of births exceeding deaths was not enough to counteract tens of thousands of residents leaving the area.

 

 

Fastest population growth in 23 years

 

Immigration in 2024 pushed the US population growth rate to its fastest in 23 years, with the total population surpassing 340 million. The Census Bureau changed its method of counting immigrants last year, incorporating more individuals admitted for humanitarian, often temporary, reasons.

 

“A substantial excess of births over deaths has long been the primary driver of US population growth, but as this surplus dwindled in the last four years, immigration provided the bulk of the nation's population increase,” said Kenneth Johnson, a senior demographer at the University of New Hampshire.

 

Domestic vs international migration

 

The 2024 estimates show a contrast between the movement of immigrants and that of US residents. While international migrants gravitated towards urban centres, many existing US residents moved to suburban counties further from city centres.

 

< The most popular counties for international migrants were Miami-Dade County, Harris County, Los Angeles County, and Cook County, Illinois (home to Chicago).

< Domestic migration favoured Montgomery County, Texas (north of Houston); Pinal County, Arizona (southwest of Phoenix); and Pasco County, Florida (northeast of Tampa). Other counties with high domestic migration included Polk County, Florida (between Orlando and Tampa), and Collin County, Texas (northern suburbs of Dallas).

 

New York sees population rebound

 

The New York metro area, the largest in the US with 19.9 million people, gained more residents than any other metropolitan area last year. While 147,000 residents left, nearly 288,000 immigrants moved in, including tens of thousands transported by buses from Texas. Other metro areas such as San Francisco and Washington, DC, also saw population increases through international migration after experiencing declines during the pandemic.

 

New York also recorded the highest natural population growth, with nearly 214,000 births outpacing 141,000 deaths.

 

Elsewhere, South Florida rose to become the sixth most populous metro area in the US, surpassing Washington and Atlanta. In North Carolina, metro Charlotte overtook Baltimore to become the 21st largest metro area. Tarrant County, Texas, home to Fort Worth, moved past San Bernardino County, California, to become the 15th most populous county.

 

Deaths outnumber births in two-thirds of US counties

 

Despite overall population growth, deaths exceeded births in two-thirds of the 3,144 counties across the country. The trend highlights the increasing reliance on immigration for population stability, particularly in the years following the pandemic.

 

“Recent levels of natural decrease are unprecedented,” Johnson said.

 

Immigration and the US economy

 

With immigration a key issue in the US presidential campaign ahead of the November 5 election, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has defended its economic benefits. Speaking in October 2024 on CNN’s *Axe Files* podcast, Yellen explained how immigration contributes to labour supply, innovation, and economic expansion.

 

“What we see, and this is true with more recent immigration as well, is that immigrants supply their labour, but they also demand goods and services,” Yellen said. “And on balance, it helps the economy grow without actually depriving other people of jobs.”

 

She also pointed out that immigration helps sustain workforce levels amid an ageing population. “Immigration has been an important source of labour force growth at a time when we have an ageing population and our labour force would otherwise be declining over time,” Yellen said. “It would be a loss to our society.”

 

Indian immigrants in the US

 

India is a major contributor to US immigration, accounting for around 6% of the foreign-born population. A report by the Pew Research Centre found that South Asian immigrants, including those from India, are highly educated, with 72% holding advanced degrees. Many work in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and engineering.

 

As of 2022, around 5.2 million people of Indian origin lived in the United States, forming a notable portion of the Asian American population.