BALTIMORE, MD — Baltimore’s population has increased for the first time since 2014, according to new estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The city’s population grew from 565,271 in 2023 to 567,517 in 2024, reversing a decade-long trend of decline.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott hailed the news as a sign of Baltimore’s resurgence. “Today’s population figures confirm that Baltimore’s Renaissance is here,” he said in a statement. He credited his administration’s efforts, including a reduction in vacant homes, a decrease in crime, and increased investment in neighborhoods.
Baltimore’s population had been shrinking since peaking at 623,587 in 2014. The city’s decline continued through 2021, prompting Scott to pledge a reversal by attracting middle-income Black and immigrant families through affordable housing and immigration-friendly policies. His First Term Action Plan aimed to stabilize the population by expanding homeownership opportunities and encouraging new residents to settle in the city.
Immigrants have played a significant role in Baltimore’s demographic shifts. In 2018, they made up 15% of Maryland’s population and 10% of Baltimore’s residents. By 2025, that percentage translates to roughly 56,000 immigrants in the city.
Estimates suggest that between 18,000 and 28,000 of these individuals may be unauthorized, though precise numbers are difficult to determine.
Baltimore’s modest population growth signals a shift after years of decline, but officials say more work remains to sustain the trend.