Wayne County (Detroit) in, Michigan, Monmouth and Camden counties in New Jersey and Providence County in, Rhode Island, are not typically thought of as rapidly growing population centers. But they are among the 25 large U.S. counties where population growth has accelerated the most over the past five years.
While the pandemic had a pronounced impact on populations shifts, focusing only on population changes since 2020 can mask broader trends in people movement.
To uncover these longer-term trends, CBRE’s Location Incentives team compared population changes across the U.S. for the 2010-2015 and 2016-2021 periods. This analysis identifies counties and metropolitan areas with the most population growth momentum—not just the places with the most total job growth since 2010.
This more nuanced analysis can help decision-makers make the most informed choices about site selection, talent acquisition and real estate investment.