AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas capital has been removed from its ranking as one of the ten most populated U.S. cities.
On May 16, the U.S. Census Bureau shared new information listing the top 10 largest cities across the country, but Austin is no longer one of them.
The city was replaced by Jacksonville, Florida, which took the 10th place spot based on estimates from July 2022 to July 2023.
During this timeframe, Austin's population was recorded as 979,882, increasing by approximately 0.42%. In comparison, Jacksonville saw 985,843 total residents. This year's top three spots were New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, which all recorded populations of more than 2 million.
Three Texas cities -Houston, San Antonio and Dallas- were ranked fourth, seventh and ninth respectively.
On average, cities across the country grew by approximately 0.5% from 2022-2023. While Austin wasn't far behind, the city's decline can likely be linked to increased home prices, more work-from-home careers and additional economic factors.
"With volatility rattling the tech sector, housing costs rising post-pandemic, and more opportunities for remote work, it's not surprising to see population growth slowing and Austin slipping back into position as the 11th largest city," city demographer Lila Valencia said.
The average home sale price in the city was $593,500 as of April, according to the Austin Board of Realtors. Surrounding counties are more affordable in comparison.
Earlier this year, the city also fell from its spot as the quickest-growing metro in the U.S. after holding the title for the past 12 years.
Despite the recent decrease in population, areas close to Austin have continued to thrive. Hays, Travis and Williamson counties all saw more than 40,000 new housing units in total, according to Census data.
If Austin's population rates continue to slow, the city could be trending towards yet another decline in the coming year.