Jacksonville, 12th most populous city, is also 12th fastest growing city

[thelakelander]

Jacksonville added the 12th most people of any city in America, which isn't surprising because it is the 12th most populous city in America.
The U.S. Census Bureau released new data Thursday that reveal how cities' population estimates changed.

Jacksonville added 13,069 people from 2014 to 2015 and 44,751 people from 2010 to 2015.

For comparison's sake, here's how other Florida cities did:

■ Orlando added 31,506 since 2010 and 7,860 since 2014.

■ Tampa added 32,270 since 2010 and 9,054 since 2014.

■ Miami added 39,949 since 2010 and 9,627 since 2014.

Meanwhile, Texas cities continue to dominate population growth with five cities — Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth — in the top 10. In 2011, Austin surpassed Jacksonville as the 11th most populous city.

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-05-19/story/jacksonville-12th-most-populous-city-also-12th-fastest-growing-city

[RattlerGator]

I think I argued a few months back that Tampa and Orlando (and Virginia Beach) were our real comparisons and definitely not Memphis and some other far less dynamic, smaller cities. This argues in favor of that point, I do believe, even though we all understand the warping effect of consolidation. For the more illuminating county comparisons:

(Hillsborough 1,349,050 / 9.7% 2010-2015 population change)

(Orange 1,288,126 / 12.4% 2010-2015 population change)

(Duval 913,010 / 5.6% 2010-2015 population change)

Virginia Beach / Hampton Roads / Tidewater is just too much of a conglomeration for this quick note but . . .

For Memphis:
Shelby County 938,069 / 1.1% 2010-2015 population change

For Charlotte:
Mecklenburg County 1,034,070 / 12.4% 2010-2015 population change

We're definitely midrange, but growing.

[thelakelander]

Why is Hampton Roads too much of a conglomeration but the Tampa Bay area isn't? Cherry picking the largest county and it's growth rate from random urban areas is a poor argument for identifying peers based on scale and size.  I also find it hard to prove that Memphis and Jacksonville aren't on the same level.  Each has it's positives and negatives but both are regional southern communities in an economic class far below the south's largest urban centers.

[Tacachale]

The different sizes of municipalities around the country makes these lists apples to oranges comparisons. Some cities include no suburban areas, some include lots of suburban areas, and in Jacksonville, we include an entire, very large county. I doubt we're really at a level with Tampa and Orlando in either suburban or urban core growth.

[RattlerGator]

Tacachale, I didn't make the post. Ennis did. *I* made your point and included only home counties of the cities as a better one-to-one comparison.

Ennis, my comment on conglomeration went to the way the Census Bureau press release put the info together. They talked about cities; that was the subject of your post. Because the Tidewater is a bunch of smaller city-counties, there was no easy way to show what I presented for the sake of comparison.

And I know you're big on seeing Jacksonville in an incredibly limited way, Ennis, but I know the Bay Area. And Tampa and St. Pete definitely aren't one community. Definitely don't even like each other. They are competing metropolitan areas and likely always will be, damn the St. Pete Times buying out the Tampa Tribune. Slow your roll, Polk County.

Besides, my brother, I thought it was pretty obvious my selection of peers centered upon percentage of population growth.

[thelakelander]

^I only posted that link because the census just came out with its latest version of population estimates for cities. However, I would not attempt to establish a peer ranking by comparing percentage growth. Going by percentage, some place like Palm Coast will easily surpass every city you listed.

[FlaBoy]

Orange v. Hillsborough v. Duval are all fair comparisons. You can compare metros too if you want. One way or another, Orlando and Tampa are beating us but Jax had a good year of growth.

[tufsu1]

Why is Hampton Roads too much of a conglomeration but the Tampa Bay area isn't? Cherry picking the largest county and it's growth rate from random urban areas is a poor argument for identifying peers based on scale and size.  I also find it hard to prove that Memphis and Jacksonville aren't on the same level.  Each has it's positives and negatives but both are regional southern communities in an economic class far below the south's largest urban centers.

Thank you.  I agree 100%

[mtraininjax]

Austin surpassed Jacksonville as the 11th most populous city.

When Jacksonville figures out what it wants to be, Medical, Mortgage, Retirement, it will overtake the college town in Texas. One thing both have in common, sprawl is out of control in both.

[RattlerGator]

Austin long-since ceased being a college town, mtraininjax. Though the top-down planners here hate sprawl, that is the American way (thank goodness). We likes what we likes and to hell with your insistence that we shouldn't.

Hmmmmm . . . an economic class far below the South's urban centers? Wow, overstate much?

Yet Jacksonville keeps making a range of lists placing them favorably in the company of vibrant Southern urban centers with Memphis nowhere to be found. But that's your story and you're sticking with it. Roger that.