Houston's population is still booming

Harris County added more residents than any other county in the country, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, possibly increasing competition at your favorite taco food truck.

By the numbers: Harris County, the country's third-most populous county, with about 4.8 million residents, added nearly 54,000 residents last year.

• The Houston metro area population increased by about 140,000 from July 2022 to July 2023, ranking second in the nation for the influx, just after Dallas-Fort Worth . Our total population is now over 7.5 million.

The big picture: Texas saw some of the biggest population increases nationwide last year. All of our large metros — Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin — were among the top 10 metro areas with the biggest population increases from July 2022 to July 2023.

Plus: In terms of percentages, the Lone Star State also had six of the country's 10 fastest-growing counties, including Liberty and Chambers counties.

• Liberty County grew 5.7% to about 108,000, and Chambers County grew 5% to nearly 54,000.
• North Texas has us beat there as well, though, having three counties in the region on the top 10 list.

Of note: This data is the most recent release of the annual Population Estimates Program , which uses administrative records and other sources to calculate annual changes in population and housing between censuses.

Between the lines: The population gains come from two sources — people moving to the area and births outpacing deaths. Harris County was among the top counties that saw gains from international migration, which made up over 41,000 people.

• Yes, but: 2023 marked the eighth consecutive year that the county experienced negative domestic migration, meaning more people moved out of Harris County than moved in from elsewhere in the U.S., per the Greater Houston Partnership's analysis .

The bottom line: We just keep getting bigger. But hey, more people means more friends to share those tacos with, right?

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