Torrent of people in Tarrant

One North Texas city stampedes to No. 2 among fastest-growing places in U.S.

Fort Worth cityscape with Seventh Street Bridge

Fort Worth is just shy of 1 million residents now.

Sky Noir Photography by Bill Dickinson/Getty Images

Fort Worth corralled a major gain in population from 2019 to 2020, according to new Census Bureau figures.

The estimates, released May 27, show the population of Fort Worth jumped 2.1 percent during that one-year period. Among major U.S. cities, Fort Worth ranked second for population growth from 2019 to 2020, landing at 927,720 people on July 1, 2020.

Yes, Fort Worth is just shy of 1 million residents now. It is now the 12th largest city in the country.

Only Seattle registered a bigger population bump (2.2 percent) during the same timeframe.

"It’s no surprise that it is one of the five fastest-growing cities in the U.S.," says a statement on the Thrive in Fort Worth page, a partnership between the Fort Worth Chamber and the city, saying Fort Worth “is known for warm greetings and hospitality, inviting neighborhoods, and a vibrant and rich culture.”

Of course, a bigger city means more complex issues related to infrastructure, policing, and more, which will be hot topics for the city's newly elected mayor and city council.

Joining Fort Worth in the top five was Austin. From 2019 to 2020, Austin’s population surged by 1.7 percent, Census Bureau estimates show. That earned Austin the No. 4 spot among major U.S. cities for one-year population growth. The Census Bureau estimated Austin’s population at 995,484 last July 1.

Taking into account births, deaths, move-ins and move-outs, Fort Worth picked up 19,229 residents from 2019 to 2020. During the same period, Austin added 16,721 residents.

Also in the top five were third-ranked Mesa, Arizona (1.9 percent) and fifth-ranked Tampa, Florida (1.6 percent).

Among other major Texas cities, San Antonio came closest to Fort Worth’s and Austin’s growth. From 2019 to 2020, Alamo City tacked on 19,862 residents (1.3 percent). Its headcount last July 1 stood at 1,567,118.

Meanwhile, the populations of Dallas and Houston barely budged from 2019 to 2020. Each city saw its population grow by less than 1 percent, with Dallas’ population inching up by just 74 people and Houston’s by only 400. On July 1, 2020, Dallas’ population was 1,343,266 and Houston’s was 2,316,120, according to the Census Bureau estimates.

The figures published May 27 by the Census Bureau are part of the agency’s annual population estimates, and are not from last year’s official every-decade population count.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

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Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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