Dallas - Fastest Growing U.S. City

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - The booming Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area added more residents during the past decade than any other city in the United States.

According to the latest Census Bureau figures released Tuesday, the population of the sprawling Texas metro area grew by about 1.3 million people, or 25%, between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2009.

The population is now estimated at 6.5 million residents, but an exact count won't be available until the 2010 census is complete.

The Palm Coast metro area in Florida had the highest percentage increase in growth. Its population exploded by 84% over the nine-years-plus covered by the Census Bureau report. But even after the jump there were only about 92,000 people living in the area.

The Census count is more than just an academic exercise created to please number freaks and provoke outbursts of civic pride in the winners and shame in the laggards.

"Census numbers govern the distribution of more than $400 billion in federal funds each year," said Census Bureau director Robert Groves. "Local governments use census data to plan new roads, schools and emergency services. Businesses use the data to develop new economic opportunities."

Other big winners
Other big population jumps were recorded by Atlanta, which added more than 1.2 million people; Houston, which grew by 1.15 million; Phoenix, which recorded a 1.11 million jump; and Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif., where nearly 900,000 more residents were added.

Percentage-increase leaders were St. George, Utah, which leaped 52% to nearly 140,000; Provo, Utah, which grew by more than 47% to 555,000; Raleigh, N.C., which jumped 41% to nearly 1.13 million; and Greeley, Colo., where the population soared 41% to 255,000.

The decade's biggest loser both by percentage and numerically, was New Orleans. The city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and has been in recovery mode ever since.

Its metro area population is still down more than 126,000, off nearly 10% from its pre-storm status.

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Source: CNN (Money)