Dallas-Fort Worth Growth Stays Strong Immigration Slows

Dallas-Fort Worth is still adding population at a nation-leading clip — just not quite as fast as before.

New U.S. Census Bureau estimates show the Metroplex logged the second-largest population gain among U.S. metros from July 2024 to July 2025, adding 123,557 residents and trailing only Houston. The Austin metro area and San Antonio metro areas also landed in the top 10 spots at sixth and ninth, respectively.

The Dallas Business Journal reported that the region’s population climbed to roughly 8.4 million, reinforcing North Texas’ status as a magnet for growth even as key drivers begin to soften. The latest data reflects about 339 new residents per day across the region, a pace that continues to fuel demand for housing, infrastructure and commercial development.

But the topline growth masks a notable slowdown: DFW’s population rose 1.4 percent year-over-year, down from a 2.3 percent increase the prior year.

The primary culprit is a sharp pullback in international migration, long a cornerstone of North Texas’ expansion. Net international migration into DFW counties fell by nearly half, dropping from about 116,000 to 55,000 residents, year-over-year, according to Census estimates. Nationally, the trend is similar, with net international migration declining from 2.7 million in 2024 to 1.3 million in 2025.

That shift is already reshaping local growth patterns. Dallas County — historically buoyed by international inflows — saw its population dip by roughly 2,600 residents, making it one of the largest numeric declines in the country. Domestic outmigration has outpaced arrivals in recent years, and with fewer international newcomers offsetting losses, the county’s growth engine is sputtering.

Elsewhere in the Metroplex, the story is more familiar. Collin County ranked second nationwide for numeric growth, adding nearly 43,000 residents, as suburban expansion continues to pull households north. Kaufman County posted one of the fastest growth rates in the U.S., up 5.7 percent, underscoring the outward push of affordability-driven development.

Tarrant County and Denton County also continued to expand, though at more moderate rates, reflecting a broader cooling across the region, according to the Census data.

Statewide, Texas added nearly 400,000 residents, with natural population growth — births outpacing deaths — playing a larger role as migration slows. Demographers warn the trend could deepen, with some forecasting the possibility of net negative international migration nationally for the first time in decades, according to the publication.

Harris County and Dallas County ranked third and eighth respectively in the top 10 most populous counties in the nation.

— Eric Weilbacher