Cowtown is Boomtown, Now 15th Largest in U.S.

Fort Worth is now the 15th largest city in the country, zipping past Indianapolis, according to new numbers from the U.S. Census.

Cowtown’s population is now 874,168 – barely behind Columbus, Ohio.

The city could hit the million mark by 2023, according to some projections, and could surpass Dallas’ population in the next two decades.

Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price often jokes DFW will one day become FWD.

She said people are attracted to Cowtown because of quality jobs, a friendly atmosphere and a booming economy.

“They love the quality of life here,” Price said. “They love getting outside, they love the fact people talk to each other and are helpful to each other.”

She admits the growth comes with challenges, especially traffic.

“Really, transit is one of the biggest issues for us and we’ll get there,” she said. “We’ve got long-range planning.”

Much of the growth has come in the city’s northern sector.

Kristie Baker opened Gigi’s Cupcakes a year-and-a-half ago and quickly learned the exploding population is sweet for the bottom line.

“We love it,” she said. “It’s great for business. Cupcakes make people happy.”

Baker and her husband, who is stationed at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, moved here from California when he was transferred.

They opened their business in a shopping center along North Tarrant Parkway that was an open field just a few years ago.

“We’ve got plenty of land here, plenty of space for people to come,” she said. “It says a lot for our city. People want to come here.”