Raleigh is the tenth most popular city in the nation for people moving to a new metro area, according to the latest migration data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The population of Raleigh has been increasing for years, much to the frustration of current residents. Recently, however, the city has gotten an even bigger boost in popularity from favorable news reports and big business.
In the past 10 years, Raleigh’s population grew by 25 percent, reaching 467,665 in 2020, according to census data compiled by CommericalCafe, a real estate blog. The city gained an average of 19,166 residents per year from 2015 to 2019, numbers showed. The ranking of most popular destinations is based on annual increases over those five years.
Most newcomers moved from nearby cities like Durham and Charlotte, but the third-highest influx of people came from New York City. The data lends credence to the many reports from realtors of people migrating to the Triangle from up North.
Most people who move out of Raleigh don’t go far—the top three destinations were Durham, Charlotte, and Fayetteville.
Charlotte also broke the top 10, named the ninth fastest-growing metro area in the U.S. with a population increase of 18.6 percent in the past decade. The city gained an average of 19,712 residents per year from 2015-2019. Most people moved in from New York City, Greensboro, or Winston-Salem.
Other popular destinations for movers include Phoenix; Inland Empire, California; Dallas; Austin; Las Vegas; Tampa; Jacksonville; and Orlando.
This story has been updated to accurately reflect Raleigh’s population.
Support independent local journalism. Join the INDY Press Club to help us keep fearless watchdog reporting and essential arts and culture coverage viable in the Triangle.
Follow Staff Writer Jasmine Gallup on Twitter or send an email to jgallup@indyweek.com.
