Huntsville just passed Montgomery to become Alabama’s second largest city.

According to recently updated population numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, Huntsville’s 2018 population is now estimated to be 199,808, just higher than Montgomery’s 198,218.

The Rocket City has grown rapidly over the last decade, while Montgomery has steadily lost population. Birmingham, the largest city in the state, has also lost population, and Huntsville is on track to overtake it within the next five years.

Huntsville is now Alabama's second-largest city, according to recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. | Graphic by Ramsey Archibald

These numbers reflect the American Community Survey’s one-year estimates. Those estimates are updated throughout the year, and Huntsville’s population estimate has a large margin of error of 2,075. The margin of error for Montgomery was just 21.

Huntsville and Montgomery could be considered statistically tied in population, but it was only a matter of time before the Rocket City ascended to the number two spot in official federal counts.

Huntsville city officials predicted in 2015 that this would happen, and that Huntsville would be the largest city in the state by 2022. That may happen a year earlier.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle delivered a state of the city address this week, in which he lauded Huntsville’s “sticky” economy and discussed the city’s growth.

“Many talk about Huntsville being the biggest (city) in the state. Just know we work day in and day out to make this community the best,” Battle said in the address on Tuesday. "Sometimes, bigger does not always equate to better. We want to be the best.”

Battle used the term “sticky” to describe Huntsville multiple times.

“Our economy is good. And if you really want to know, our economy is better than good. A top exec from one of the major tech companies visited us recently and he was impressed with Huntsville," Battle said. “'This is the kind of city where we want to invest, where it’s sticky. Sticky has many meanings but in this context, it’s executive talk for a place that’s not going to turn off the lights in 10, 20, 30 years down the road. A place that has deep roots.”

Huntsville City Council President Devyn Keith echoed Battle in a response to the news of Huntsville’s new ranking.

“I guess the best thing to say is what was said at the State of the City," Keith said. “It feels good to know people are moving to Huntsville to call it home and not just transient. As the mayor said, we have a sticky economy.”

“As president of the city council, it’s exciting to be a part of the process of creating a place people want to call home,” he continued. "I’m proud of the work the mayor has done and the city council as well and all the subsequent leaders in the area. But I think we’ll be No. 1 soon enough.”

Do you have an idea for a data story about Alabama? Email Ramsey Archibald at rarchibald@al.com, and follow him on Twitter @RamseyArchibald.