Seattle’s population growth has slowed somewhat, with the city falling out of the top 10 fastest-growing big cities in the U.S. The city added about 5,900 residents between July 2022 and July 2023, bringing its population to 755,078, with a growth rate of 0.8%. While this growth is still positive compared to cities experiencing population loss, such as New Orleans, St. Louis, and Philadelphia, it is a drop from Seattle’s consistent 2% growth in previous years.
According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, Atlanta, Fort Worth, and Raleigh are currently the fastest-growing big cities in the country, with significant growth patterns seen in the South, particularly in Texas and Florida. Seattle is now the 18th most populous city in the U.S., just behind San Francisco and ahead of Denver. This contrasts with the city’s booming decade, where its population increased by 21% from 2010 to 2020, driven largely by the tech industry, particularly the growth of Amazon, Microsoft, cloud computing, and Silicon Valley engineering outposts in the region.
Seattle experienced a population decline of about 4,300 residents from July 2020 to July 2021, as the pandemic led many remote workers to move to the suburbs and smaller towns. However, the following year, the city bounced back and was once again the fastest-growing big city in the U.S., with a net gain of around 17,750 people from July 2021 to July 2022. The subsequent tech downturn in 2022 and 2023 resulted in significant job cuts at Amazon, other tech companies, and startups across the region, impacting the city’s growth.
Overall, Seattle’s population growth has slowed in recent years, despite a decade of significant increases fueled by the tech industry. The city’s current growth rate of 0.8% places it 13th among places with a population of at least 250,000, with other southern cities experiencing faster growth. Although Seattle remains a vibrant and populous city, it faces challenges in maintaining its growth trajectory amidst changing economic conditions and demographic trends. The city’s ability to adapt to these challenges and continue to attract residents and businesses will determine its future growth and prosperity in the years to come.
