New U.S. Census Bureau data released on Thursday backs up what the housing crunch and traffic slowdowns have already forecast for Seattle — the city is growing rapidly and is now the 18th largest in the country.
With a 2015 population of 684,451, Seattle moved up two spots on the list of the top 20 most populous U.S. cities. By adding 15,339 residents between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015, Seattle ranked 11th among 15 cities with the largest numeric increase. The rankings are for cities with a population of 50,000 or more.
Whether you’ve been stuck in Seattle’s notorious rush-hour congestion — ranked 2nd worst in the U.S. — or you’ve run up against difficulty finding a place to live — the 2nd hottest housing market — or you keep seeing cranes and new construction everywhere you look — Amazon growth is a “good problem to have” — there’s no doubt that the tech boom fueled by big companies and little startups is luring lots of people.
According to further Census data, Seattle’s estimated population has jumped by about 70,000 residents since 2010 — a little more than what it takes to fill CenturyLink Field for a Seahawks game.
Georgetown, Texas, with a population of 63,716, was the fastest growing city in the U.S., with a 7.8 percent increase. Five of the nation’s 11 fastest-growing cities are in Texas. Among the 15 fastest-growing cities, the only one outside the South or West was Ankeny, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines.
