The five fastest-growing cities in the country, among those with populations over 20,000, are all in Texas, according to the report.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth is officially one of the largest cities in the country, and the city is still growing fast.
New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the city’s population has reached 1,028,117, pushing Cowtown into the top 10 largest cities in the United States. That’s up from its previous ranking at number 11.
The milestone comes after Fort Worth surpassed Jacksonville, Florida, by more than 10,000 residents. Within Texas, Fort Worth remains the fourth-largest city, behind Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, trailing Dallas by about 300,000 people.
Mayor Mattie Parker says the growth is no accident.
“Fort Worth is booming for the right reasons,” Parker said in a press release put out by the city Thursday, adding that the focus now is on managing that growth through what she calls smart policies, investments, and planning to ensure long-term success.
The latest Census estimates, which reflect data through July 2025, show Fort Worth added 19,512 new residents in just one year, which is the second-largest numeric increase in the country, according to the report. Only Charlotte, North Carolina, saw a bigger jump.
That growth stands out, especially as many large U.S. cities are seeing slower gains or even slight declines. According to Census data, those slowdowns have been most noticeable in the Northeast.
Fort Worth’s rise is also part of a much larger trend across Texas.
In fact, the five fastest-growing cities in the country, among those with populations over 20,000, are all in Texas. Four of them are in the DFW-Arlington metroplex, with the fifth located outside Houston.
Celina topped the list with a growth rate of 24.6 percent, continuing a trend after also ranking as the fastest-growing city in 2023.
City Manager Jay Chapa also said in Thursday’s press release that Fort Worth’s surge is the result of decades of planning and leadership focused on financial discipline and quality of life.
“Substantial growth like we’re seeing in Fort Worth doesn’t just happen,” Chapa said. “Being among the top 10 largest cities is an important reminder to all of us that our work matters.”
The 15 largest cities in 2025 remained the same as in 2024, with a couple of rank changes. New York City remained the nation’s largest city, with over 8.5 million people, followed by Los Angeles, which reached 3.8 million people.
Other most populous cities in 2025:
- Chicago (2.7 million)
- Houston (2.3 million)
- Phoenix (1.6 million)
- Philadelphia (1.5 million)
- San Antonio (1.5 million)
- San Diego (1.4 million)
- Dallas (1.3 million)
- Fort Worth (1 million)
- Jacksonville (1 million)
- Austin (1 million)
- San Jose (989,000)
- Charlotte (964,000)
- Columbus (935,000)