US Population Growth Slows Amid Immigration Backlash

Population growth slowed sharply across many U.S. metropolitan areas in the past year, with some of the most noticeable declines occurring in communities near the southern border and along Florida’s Gulf Coast. New population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau show that reduced immigration and hurricane damage both played key roles in shifting where Americans live.

The report found that most metro areas and counties experienced slower growth during the year ending July 1, 2025. According to the Census Bureau, the main factor was a drop in international migration. The previous year saw cities rebound from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as immigration surged, but that momentum weakened in the latest figures. Overall, the average population growth rate for metro areas fell from 1.1 percent in 2024 to 0.6 percent in 2025.

These estimates cover the early months of President Trump’s second term, when his administration began tightening immigration enforcement. With birth rates declining for more than two decades and the country’s population getting older, many regions have relied heavily on newcomers from abroad to maintain population growth. Demographer Kenneth Johnson of the University of New Hampshire noted that because natural population increases are so limited, migration often determines whether a region expands or shrinks, especially in large urban centers where many residents move elsewhere within the country.

Several metro areas along the southern border saw the most dramatic slowdowns. Laredo, Texas experienced a sharp shift, with its growth rate dropping from 3.2 percent in 2024 to just 0.2 percent in 2025. Yuma, Arizona also saw a decline, falling from 3.3 percent growth to 1.4 percent. In El Centro, California, the situation reversed entirely, sliding from a 1.2 percent gain to a population decrease of 0.7 percent. These areas had previously seen strong growth driven by a surge of immigrants during 2024.

On Florida’s Gulf Coast, natural disasters played a major role in population losses. Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck the region in the fall of 2024, damaging communities and prompting residents to relocate. Taylor County, located in the state’s Big Bend region and heavily affected by the storms, recorded the steepest drop in population growth among all U.S. counties, declining by 2.2 percent.

Pinellas County, which includes the city of St. Petersburg, also saw significant losses, with nearly 12,000 residents leaving during the year. That made it the county with the second-largest population decline in the nation, behind Los Angeles County, which has been losing residents for several years.

The rankings of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas also shifted. The New York metropolitan area, which had added more people than any other region in 2024, fell to 13th place in 2025 as immigration slowed. In contrast, Houston and the Dallas–Fort Worth area led the country in population gains, continuing their strong growth throughout the decade. Metro areas around Atlanta, Phoenix, and Charlotte, North Carolina also ranked among the top regions for population increases.

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