Newly available census data confirms what most Texans already knew: the Lone Star State is becoming younger, more populous and more diverse than ever before. Texas led the U.S. in raw population growth between 2010 and 2020 and also added more housing units than any other state, countering a national trend toward shrinking housing development. Much of that housing was built in the suburbs, reflecting explosive population growth in areas surrounding the major urban centers. The data also showed that Texas’ population growth is being driven almost entirely by people of color. On a local level, that diversity is becoming evident in many of Texas’ suburban counties — and on a broader scale, has big implications for the political and economic future of the state. 
According to the 2020 census, the population of Texas was 29,145,505 – a 15.9% increase over the past decade, or about 4 million people. Most of that growth occurred in the region containing the state’s five largest cities, also known as the Texas Triangle. Reflecting the…  Read the full story here. | 
