These NC cities will be among biggest metros in America by 2100, study shows

North Carolina’s population has boomed over the last few years, and two of the state’s metropolitan areas are expected to become some of the biggest in the country.

A study by moveBuddha, a relocation technology company, revealed a list of the estimated top 25 most populated U.S. cities in 2100 based on current migration trends.

Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the list was compiled based on 2010-2020 Census growth rates for all U.S. metro areas with more than 250,000 residents to project the top U.S. metropolitan areas in 2100.

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia ranked no. 13 on the list, ahead of Las Vegas, Chicago and San Francisco. According to the study, the metro’s population jumped from 2,250,187 to 2,684,276 between 2010 and 2020, a 19.29% 10-year growth rate. The estimated population in 2100 could be 11.01 million people.

The Charlotte metro wasn’t the only North Carolina city included in the list of what’s expected to be the 25 largest metros.

Raleigh-Cary was 20th, ahead of Boston, Nashville and Philadelphia. The study says the metro had a 24.88% 10-year growth rate between 2010 and 2020, from a population of 1,137,386 to 1,420,376. By 2100, the area is expected to have 8.4 million people.

Overall, Texas will be home to the top three largest cities by the next century, the study shows.

“The future of America may lie in Texas,” the study says. “Based on current migration trends, moveBuddha predicts that by 2100, Dallas, Houston, and Austin will replace NYC, LA, and Chicago as the country’s most populous cities.”

Here is a look at which other metros were included in the top 10 and their estimated population for 2100:

1. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX: 33.91M

2. Houston, TX: 31.38M

3. Austin, TX: 22.29M

4. Phoenix, AZ: 22.27M

5. New York City, NY: 20.81M

6. Atlanta, GA: 18.37M

7. Los Angeles, CA: 15.5M

8. Washington-Arlington, DC-VA: 14.97M

9. Orlando, FL: 14.17M

10. Miami, FL: 13.78M

You can find the full list of the estimated largest metropolitan cities online at movebuddha.com.

This story was originally published November 1, 2023 at 6:00 AM with the headline "These NC cities will be among biggest metros in America by 2100, study shows."

Chyna Blackmon

The Charlotte Observer

Chyna Blackmon was a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA. Support my work with a digital subscription