The population in the Philadelphia metropolitan area increased by over 49,500 last year, primarily fueled by international migration, write Alex Fitzpatrick and Isaac Avilucea for AXIOS.

Immigrants have been the main driver of the region’s growth since 2020.

Greater Philadelphia recorded a 1.4 percent increase in population from 2020 to 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The area is currently home to over 6.3 million people.

International migration is offsetting roughly 65,000 residents who have relocated to other cities in that same period, bringing in nearly twice as many new residents to the region.

Philadelphia has been grappling with how to keep its residents, as many relocated to the suburbs during the pandemic.

Immigration advocates have been urging the Parker administration to reinforce Philadelphia’s sanctuary city status as the Trump administration intensifies immigration crackdowns.

Overall, the number of people living in the nation’s metro areas grew by nearly 3.2 million from 2023 to 2024, for a gain of around 1.1 percent.

“All of the nation’s 387 metro areas had positive net international migration between 2023 and 2024, and it accounted for nearly 2.7 million of the total population gain in metro areas,” stated the Census Bureau.

Read more about the region’s population growth being fueled by international migration in AXIOS.

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