Austin now the 10th largest city in the U.S.

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin is now the 10th largest city in the U.S., according to 2022 population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Since the 2020 Census, Austin expanded its population by 12,547 residents, growing at a rate of 1.3%. The Texas capital surpassed San Jose, California, with an estimated population of 974,447.

City leaders react to Austin receiving lower ranking on "Best Places to Live in the U.S." list

City leadership cites affordability and the ongoing housing crisis as factors that ranked Austin at number 40 on the list.

"These population estimates show the city of Austin gaining momentum in population growth and continuing to contribute to the rapid growth in the region," City of Austin demographer Lila Valencia said. "Although these gains are smaller than we have seen for the city in the past, they represent an uptick in rate of growth relative to the Census Bureau's 2021 estimates, when the city was estimated to have added just over 1,000 residents since the 2020 Census."

The Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown metro area was also the fastest-growing region in the country among large metro areas. The Austin area added nearly 63,000 residents between 2021 and 2022, growing at a rate of 2.7%.

This all comes as concerns of housing and affordability continue to be discussed in the region.

For a third year in a row, Austin dropped on U.S. News and World Reports annual list of the Best Places to Live in the USA, the city now ranking at 40th despite having been no. 1 on the list from 2017 to 2019. The report mentions this was influenced by several factors, including affordability.