Recent trends in population growth and density are continuing, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
While New York remains the nation's most populous city by far, Phoenix slipped into the top 5, displacing Philadelphia. Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston follow New York in the rankings. San Antonio; San Diego; Dallas; and San Jose, Calif., round out the top 10.
That means that 7 of the 10 U.S. cities with the highest populations are in states that border Mexico — a major shift from a century ago, when each of the 10 most-inhabited cities were within approximately 500 miles of Canada. In addition to New York and Philadelphia, only Chicago remains from the “top 10” in 1910.
There's no doubt that a large immigrant population from Central America has contributed heavily to this shift, so whether the trend continues — or the extent to which it does — may depend on the outcome of pending immigration reform legislation. Even if the growth does slow, however, remodelers in those markets should reap rewards for years to come, as it has brought with it a housing boom, relative to the rest of the country.