Nashville's population growth drops below 100 people a day

For the fist time since 2011, Nashville's growth has slowed.

The population of the metro area grew by an average of 94 people a day from 2016 to July 2017, according to Census estimates — dropping below the famed "100 people a day" marker synonymous with Nashville's boom.

This milestone is another sign that Nashville's expansion may be cooling. Residential real estate prices have moderated, a record-setting run of monthly tourism growth came to an end in 2016, and the city is tightening its belt. Still, the area enjoys record-low unemployment and a diverse, thriving economy.

Closer look: Black share of population plummets in some Nashville neighborhoods

In each of the six previous years, the region steadily ratcheted up its population growth — from a 1.3 percent increase in 2011 to 2.2 percent in 2016. Then, the expansion eased to 1.8 percent in 2017.

The newly-released Census data are estimates as of July 1 each year. They account for migration, deaths and births. Nashville's metro area includes Davidson and surrounding counties — from Rutherford southeast, to Hickman, Robertson and Macon. It does not include Montgomery County.

In 2017, the metro area had 1,903,045 residents, up from 1,868,855 in 2016, or 34,190 more people in a year.

Out of the nation's largest metropolitan areas Nashville had the 10th-fastest growth. There are 53 metro areas with a population of 1 million or more. Austin, Texas, with a 2.7 percent increase, had the fastest growth in 2017, followed by Raleigh, N.C., and Orlando.

Reach Mike Reicher at 615-259-8228 and on Twitter @mreicher.