Most population gained, US metro areas · 2000
US metro areas that added the most residents from the 1990 census to 2000, by raw count of people rather than percentage. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ leads at +901,041. 918 metro areas qualify in total. California carries 8 of the top 25 entries.
Flip the list · Most population lost, US metro areas →UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS
Frequently asked
Which metro area has the highest population change?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ ranks #1 with +901,041 (2000 Decennial Census).
What are the top 5 metro areas by population change?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
How many metro areas are in this ranking?
918 metro areas qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2000 Decennial Census data.
How is population change measured?
Change in the number of residents from the prior decennial census (raw count, not a percentage). Source: US Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census.