New census figures show Triad cities are growing

The U.S. Census Bureau has released new population data for the nation’s cities, towns and counties since the start of the pandemic.

The Census Bureau says nine of the 15 fastest-growing cities in the country are in the South. Burlington didn’t make that list. But the Alamance County municipality does sit atop the growth charts for four cities in this region with 50,000 or more people.

Since the first full month of the pandemic in April 2020, Burlington grew by about 3.5%, the fastest rate of the four major cities. 

Peter Bishop is the economic development director for Burlington. He says numbers show that the gap between the Triad and the Triangle is closing. 

“Housing prices have been generally higher in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Durham, Raleigh, Cary, etc.," he says. "That's pushing more homebuyers and more developers into greener, undeveloped or lesser-developed areas like Alamance County.”

Bishop also says workforce development efforts have made Burlington an attractive place for employers.

Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point also grew, but at a more modest pace. None of them reached 1% growth during the period from April 1, 2020, to July 1, 2022.

Census figures show small towns in the South — those with fewer than 50,000 people — grew by about 0.4%.