Growth means jobs. Where are the fastest growing cities in the U.S.? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, growth among cities with a population of one million are in the Sun Belt, from the ocean views of Southern California to the Hill country of Texas.

Leading the growth boom are Phoenix, Ariz., and San Antonio, Texas, says the Commerce Department's Census which covers the first eight years of the decade. Phoenix had the fastest rate of increase, at 21.3 percent, while San Antonio was second, with a growth rate of 14.1 percent. In 1998, Phoenix became the nation's seventh most populous city, climbing from ninth place in 1990, and San Antonio rose from 10th to eighth place. New York remained the most populous city in the nation, with 7.4 million people, followed by Los Angeles, with 3.6 million.

Three of the top five fastest growing cities with populations of over one million are located in Texas: San Antonio, home of the NBA Champions "Spurs," Houston and Dallas.

In an unrelated story, first publicized on MSNBC's Nightline on Tuesday, June 29th, State Farm Insurance conducted a survey of the worst intersections for traffic accidents in America. Two of the worst were located in the North Dallas/Addison areas off Beltline Road. Reasons cited for the accidents were congestion and poor visibility of traffic lights. The Texas State Highway Department named a third Dallas intersection in its own top ten "worst intersections" list. Rapid growth may have a relationship to congested, underfunded roads and traffic signals. State Farm has promised $100,000 in improvements for the worst locations.

U.S. Census' Five Fastest-Growing U.S. Cities with Populations of 1 Million or More in 1998, Ranked by Growth Rate

During the same period, smaller cities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000 grew at a faster rate than their larger cousins, a reflection of urban sprawl. The population of all U.S. cities containing at least 10,000 persons grew 6.6 percent between 1990 and 1998. Overall, the nation's nine cities with populations of more than 1 million in 1998 grew by 3.5 percent.

Cities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000 grew faster (8.6 percent) than any other category. Mesquite, Nevada and another Dallas, Texas bedroom community, Frisco, were named the two fastest-growing cities in this category.

Population Change in U. S. Cities with 1998 Populations of 10,000 or More, by Size Category

Five Fastest Growing U.S. Cities with Populations Between 10,000 and 50,000 in 1998, Ranked by Growth Rate

Overall, a total of 892 cities experienced double-digit growth rates during the eight-year period and 691 of these, or 77.5 percent, had 1998 populations between 10,000 and 50,000, while another 128 had between 50,000 and 100,000 people. Among the 2,578 cities with 10,000 or more people in 1998, 1,854 or 71.9 percent, gained population while the remaining 724 lost population between 1990 and 1998.

U.S. Cities with Populations of 500,000 or More in 1998, Ranked by 1998 Population

Source: Population Estimates Program, US Census Bureau

Published: July 1, 1999

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