Texas's long run as a magnet for domestic migration is losing some of its pull. The state's net inflow of residents from other parts of the country fell to its lowest level since 2015, according to The New York Times, marking the third straight year of decline. About 67,000 more people moved into Texas than left last year—a steep drop from nearly 219,000 three years earlier.
"It's so different from what we're used to," Bill King, a fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston, told the Times. "It's just so foreign to our psyche."
For years, Texas's strong job market, lower cost of living and spacious housing helped fuel rapid growth in cities like Houston, Dallas, and Austin. That influx became a source of pride and economic energy. But as job creation slows, the appeal has begun to weaken.
Florida, another fast-growing state, also saw a sharp drop in net domestic migration. Yet, Texas remains a top destination overall, continuing to register a higher net population gain than most states. By contrast, California and New York again posted net losses.
When total population growth, including births and international immigration, is factored in, Texas still ranks among the fastest-growing places in the country. A GlobeSt.com analysis of Census data showed the state had the third-fastest population increase in 2024, at 1.8 percent, before slowing to 1.2 percent in 2025. Those figures measure changes between July 1 of one year and July 1 of the next.
From 2024 to 2025, Texas ranked fourth among the top ten states for percentage growth, trailing South Carolina, Idaho and North Carolina. In absolute numbers, though, it led the nation with an increase of 391,243 people—far ahead of Florida's 196,680 and North Carolina's 145,907.
Nationally, population growth has cooled, dropping from one percent between 2023 and 2024 to 0.5 percent between 2024 and 2025.
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