According to data released by the US Census Bureau on May 16, 2023, from July 1, 2022 to July 1, 2023, Seattle ranked 13th in population growth among the 50 largest cities in the United States, with a growth rate equivalent to 0.8%, dropping out of the top ten fastest-growing cities in the US.
While a 0.8% growth rate may still be a significant number for many cities, for Seattle, it represents a decline compared to the previous decade. During the 2010s, Seattle was once the fastest-growing major city in the United States, with annual population growth rates well above 2%.
However, after experiencing a population decrease of about 8,800 people from 2020 to 2021, possibly due to the impact of the pandemic, Seattle rebounded remarkably in the following year from July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2022, once again rising to become the fastest-growing city in the US.
Nevertheless, from July 1, 2022 to July 1, 2023, Seattle’s population only grew by 0.8%, approximately 5,900 people, dropping from the top spot to 13th in terms of population growth rate in the US.
Atlanta has taken over the lead with a growth rate of 2.4% among the 50 largest cities in the US. Following closely behind are Fort Worth in Texas and Raleigh in North Carolina. Florida has three cities – Jacksonville, Miami, and Tampa – in the top ten, more than any other state.
However, James Freeman, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, wrote that Seattle may still see a significant increase in population. Signs of this include the fact that in November of last year, Seattle voters replaced some radical leftists in the city council with relatively rational “liberals,” effectively ending the era of defunding the police.
On the 14th of this month, the Seattle City Council approved a new contract with the Seattle Police Union by a vote of 8 to 1, agreeing to a future budget of around $170 million and providing retroactive pay raises for nearly 1,000 officers.
The new contract will make Seattle police among the highest-paid in Washington state. Starting salaries for new officers will increase from $83,000 to $103,000, rising to $110,000 after six months. After the contract is signed, officers are set to receive an average of nearly $60,000 in retroactive pay, with some potentially receiving more.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell swiftly signed the new contract on the same day, calling it “a necessary step towards advancing our city’s vision of ensuring safety and security for every person in every community.”
Earlier this month, Seattle City Council member and chairman of the Public Safety Committee, Bob Kettle, stated in a release that “approving this contract will be an important step in improving the indulgent public safety environment that has been intolerable in Seattle for many years.”
Despite a modest 0.8% population growth rate from July 1, 2022 to July 1, 2023, Seattle has not lost residents and remains the 18th largest city in the US, with approximately 755,100 residents.
Among the 50 largest cities in the US, Philadelphia saw the largest population decline, decreasing by 1%; followed by New York City with a 0.9% decrease, and Memphis with a 0.8% decrease.
Compared to Seattle’s 0.8% population growth rate, several smaller cities in King County saw much faster population growth during this period.
Redmond has consistently been one of the fastest-growing cities in Washington state. Between 2022 and 2023, its population increased by about 3,600 people, with a growth rate of 4.7%, bringing the city’s population to just over 80,000.
SeaTac’s growth rate was almost identical to Redmond’s, with a population increase of nearly 1,300 people and a growth rate of 4.2%, reaching a total population of 31,800.
Shoreline also stood out, adding approximately 1,700 people with a growth rate of 2.8%. The city’s population reached nearly 61,400 last year.
However, many larger cities in King County experienced population declines. Bellevue saw a decrease of over 1,000 residents, resulting in a 0.8% population decline; Auburn and Sammamish both experienced population declines of over 1%. Other King County cities with declining populations include Issaquah, Renton, Kent, Burien, and Federal Way.