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Thursday, March 02, 2023  09:30 PM  (58)

2022 Population Estimates for the Pittsburgh Region

This week the Census Bureau released the latest population estimates for counties across the nation. These new estimates reflect the population as of July 1, 2022, and are based on previous results from the 2020 Decennial Census and estimates of the components of population change over the following years. These county-level population estimates have been aggregated here to compile estimates of the population for the 40 largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the United States. 

The 2022 population of the seven-county Pittsburgh MSA is estimated to have declined between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, by 16,004 (or -0.7%) to 2,349,172. These estimates show that the Pittsburgh MSA dropped one place to be the 28th largest MSA in the United States.

Within the seven-county Pittsburgh MSA, Allegheny County experienced the largest population decline - contracting by 12,192 - while Fayette County experienced the largest percentage decline (-1.1%) over the year. Butler County (+0.3%) and Washington County  (+0.3%) were the only counties in southwestern Pennsylvania to have experienced moderate population gains. The table below summarizes the latest population estimates and major components of demographic change for the 10 counties of southwestern Pennsylvania. 

Population change results from a combination of natural population change - the difference between the number of births and the number of deaths - and migration flows.  The Census Bureau estimates two type of migration: domestic migration which is the movement of people within the United States and international migration which is the the number of new residents who lived outside of the United States in the previous year. 

As an older region, the Pittsburgh region has been experiencing natural population decline (deaths exceeding births) since the mid-1990s. Of the 40largest MSAs in the United States, the Pittsburgh MSA is one of six regions currently experiencing natural population decline. The figure below shows the level of natural population change as a percentage of each region's population for the 40largest MSAs in the United States.  

While Pittsburgh gains population due to international immigration, the region stands out in the relatively low rate of international immigration compared to other metropolitan areas. The figure below shows the estimated level of net international migration as a percentage of the population for the forty largest MSAs in the United States.

The remaining major component of demographic change is domestic migration which is the result of the movement of population within the United States.  The figure below summarizes the level of net domestic migration as a percentage of population for the 40 largest MSAs in the United States. 

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For more information contact Christopher Briem (cbriem@pitt.edu)

Supplemental information and figures

Additional information on the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest.html

Figure. Population of the forty largest metropolitan statistical areas in the United States in 2022

Figure. Population change for the forty largest metropolitan statistical areas in the United States (July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2022)

Figure. Net domestic migration (July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2022) for the forty largest metropolitan statistical areas in the United States

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