CBRE: Texas suburbs, not urban areas, lead nation in population growth

​HOUSTON – ​​Suburban growth has surpassed increases in urban population figures and have ​since 2010, say CBRE researchers, citing the latest Census and county population estimates.

"Not only are suburbs growing at a rapid rate, Texas suburbs are leading the country in population growth,” said Robert Kramp, director of research and analysis for the Texas-Oklahoma-Arkansas region of CBRE. “Four of the five fastest-growing large cities, for the 12 months ending July 2016, are located in Texas.

“More than 80 percent of large American metros have become more suburban," Kramp said.

Conroe, about 40 miles north of downtown Houston, the fastest growing large city in the nation, added people at a rate 11 times the national average.

Large suburban counties—those with at least 500,000 residents—grew at exponential rates. Between 2010 and 2016, Fort Bend County expanded by 27 percent, and Williamson County increased 25 percent. Montgomery County (home of Conroe), Denton County, and Collin County each grew by more than 20 percent. Texas as a whole hiked its populace by 10.8 percent.​