Arlington Population Statistics 2026 | By Age, Race, Gender, Growth & Key Facts

Arlington, Texas has a population of approximately 406,000 residents in 2026, according to city and Census Bureau data, making it the 7th largest city in Texas and one of the 50 most populous cities in the United States. The city officially crossed the 400,000-resident milestone in early 2026 after decades of steady growth.

Arlington Population 2026 – Introduction

The arlington population in 2026 marks a genuine milestone for this Tarrant County city sitting squarely between Dallas and Fort Worth. City officials confirmed in February 2026 that Arlington has surpassed 400,000 residents, a threshold that puts it among the 50 most populous cities in the entire country. Arlington’s growth story stretches back to a tiny farming community of just 4,470 people in 1950, and the city has expanded roughly ninetyfold since then, riding waves of suburban expansion tied to the broader Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

This report breaks down the arlington population 2026 picture across every dimension that matters to residents, businesses, and researchers: total counts, historical growth trends, racial and ethnic composition, age structure, gender balance, the surrounding Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area, housing density, and near-term projections through 2030. Arlington’s demographic profile is shaped by its identity as a mid-sized suburban hub anchored by the University of Texas at Arlington, major sports venues including AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field, and a manufacturing and logistics base tied to its position along the DFW corridor. Understanding these dynamics matters for anyone tracking one of Texas’s fastest-normalizing suburban cities.

Interesting Facts About Arlington Population in 2026

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, City of Arlington Official Communications, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

The numbers above capture a suburban Texas city that has quietly become a significant population center in its own right. The arlington population crossing 400,000 in early 2026 is not a sudden spike but the culmination of steady, compounding growth that began with the city’s founding as a small agricultural community. Arlington’s climb from 4,470 residents in 1950 to over 400,000 today represents one of the more dramatic transformations of any mid-sized American city, driven almost entirely by its position inside the rapidly expanding Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metroplex, now the nation’s fourth-largest metro area.

What distinguishes Arlington from many fast-growing Sun Belt cities is the absence of a dramatic recent boom. Growth here has been gradual and consistent rather than explosive, with the city adding roughly 9,400 residents between the 2020 Census and the most recent Vintage 2024 estimate, a 2.4% cumulative gain over four years. That steady pace, combined with the city’s median household income of $75,171 and a median age of 33.6 years, points to a mature, stable suburban economy rather than a boomtown still absorbing rapid newcomer inflows.

Arlington Population Total 2026 | Official Count & Latest Figures

Arlington Population Growth (1950-2026)
1950  |█ 4,470
1990  |█████████████████████████████████████ 261,721
2010  |███████████████████████████████████████████ 365,438
2020  |███████████████████████████████████████████████ 394,266
2024  |██████████████████████████████████████████████████ 403,672
2026  |███████████████████████████████████████████████████ ~406,000

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census, City of Arlington Official Communications (February 2026)

The arlington population figure of roughly 406,000 confirms the city’s standing as the third-largest city in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metroplex, trailing only Dallas and Fort Worth themselves while comfortably outpacing every other suburb in the region. Arlington ranks 7th among Texas cities, sitting just behind Fort Worth and ahead of Corpus Christi and Plano, and its recent crossing of the 400,000-resident threshold places it among a select group of roughly 50 U.S. cities that have reached that scale.

Arlington’s growth from 365,438 residents in 2010 to 394,266 in 2020 represented a 7.9% decade-over-decade gain, a healthy but unspectacular pace compared to explosive exurban growth seen elsewhere in the Metroplex. The city has continued adding residents since 2020, reaching 403,672 in the most recent annual estimate before crossing the 400,000 mark that city officials publicly celebrated in February 2026. Unlike many rapidly sprawling DFW suburbs still annexing new land, Arlington’s growth increasingly comes from infill development and rising density within its already-established 99.8 square miles, rather than geographic expansion.

Arlington Population Growth Trends 2026 | Historical Growth & Recent Momentum

Arlington Population Change by Decade
1950 |█ 4,470
1970 |██████████████ 90,229
1990 |██████████████████████████ 261,721
2000 |█████████████████████████████████ 332,969
2010 |████████████████████████████████████ 365,438
2020 |██████████████████████████████████████ 394,266
2026 |█████████████████████████████████████████ ~406,000

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census, City of Arlington Population History Records

Arlington’s population growth trend tells the story of explosive mid-century suburbanization giving way to steady, mature expansion. The city’s most dramatic growth came between 1950 and 1970, when the population rocketed from 4,470 to 90,229, a gain of nearly 1,919% driven by the postwar suburban boom, the arrival of General Motors’ Arlington assembly plant, and the broader flight of families from Dallas and Fort Worth toward newly developed suburban tracts. The 1970s and 1980s saw continued rapid expansion as the city nearly tripled again, reaching 261,721 by 1990.

Since 1990, Arlington’s growth rate has decelerated with each successive decade, a pattern common among suburbs that have largely built out their available land. The 27.2% growth of the 1990s slowed to 9.8% in the 2000s, then to 7.9% between 2010 and 2020, and current projections suggest the pace through the mid-2020s will run closer to 3% cumulatively. This deceleration is not a sign of decline but of maturation: Arlington has transitioned from a rapidly developing exurb into an established, largely built-out city whose remaining growth increasingly depends on redevelopment, density increases near transit corridors, and its continued draw as an affordable alternative to pricier DFW suburbs.

Arlington Population by Race and Ethnicity 2026

Arlington Population by Race (2026)
White (alone)       |█████████████████ 43.2%
Hispanic/Latino     |████████████ 31.0%
Black               |█████████ 22.4%
Two or More Races   |███████ 17.4%
Asian               |███ 7.3%
AIAN/NHPI           |▏ 0.9%

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Arlington’s racial and ethnic makeup reflects the broader diversification of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, with no single group approaching an outright majority once ethnicity is factored alongside race. White residents account for 43.2% of the arlington population on a race-alone basis, but that share falls to 35.8% once Hispanic-identifying White residents are excluded, underscoring how closely intertwined Arlington’s White and Hispanic populations are. Hispanic or Latino residents, who may identify with any race, make up 31.0% of the city, concentrated heavily in neighborhoods across South and East Arlington.

Black or African American residents represent 22.4% of the city, a substantial share that reflects decades of Black families moving from Dallas and Fort Worth’s urban cores into Arlington’s more affordable suburban housing stock. The Asian population, at 7.3%, has grown steadily alongside the expansion of DFW’s technology and logistics sectors, while the multiracial population of 17.4% ranks notably high compared to national averages, a pattern common in racially diverse Texas suburbs where interracial families and mixed-heritage identification have become increasingly common among younger residents.

Arlington Population by Age 2026

Arlington Age Distribution (2026)
Under 18   |████████████ 25.0%
18-64      |███████████████████████████████ 63.5%
65+        |█████ 11.5%

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Arlington’s age distribution skews notably young for a mature suburban city, with a median age of 33.6 years, several years below the national median of roughly 38.9 years. Residents under 18 make up a full quarter of the population at 25.0%, a share that reflects Arlington’s continued appeal to young and growing families drawn by its relatively affordable housing compared to Dallas proper. The presence of the University of Texas at Arlington, enrolling tens of thousands of students, further tilts the city’s age profile toward younger adults.

Seniors aged 65 and older account for just 11.5% of Arlington’s population, meaningfully below the national average, signaling that the city has not yet experienced the aging wave affecting many longer-established American suburbs. The gap between male and female median ages, 32.6 years versus 34.9 years, mirrors the national pattern of women living longer on average and skewing the older end of the age distribution slightly more female. This youthful demographic profile supports continued demand for schools, family housing, and entry-level employment across the city’s retail, logistics, and manufacturing sectors.

Arlington Population by Gender 2026

Arlington Gender Distribution (2026)
Female |██████████████████████████ 50.9%
Male   |█████████████████████████ 49.1%

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Women hold a modest majority of the arlington population at 50.9%, compared to 49.1% male, yielding a ratio of approximately 97.2 males per 100 females. Interestingly, this runs counter to the current national pattern, where the Population by Gender in US data shows the country as a whole now recording a slight male numerical majority of roughly 101 males per 100 females, driven by higher recent immigration among working-age men. Arlington’s female-leaning ratio suggests the city’s gender balance more closely resembles historical national patterns than the current national average.

As in most American cities, the gender gap widens considerably in older age brackets, where women significantly outnumber men due to longer average female life expectancy. Younger cohorts tend to run closer to even or slightly male-leaning, consistent with the natural sex ratio at birth of roughly 105 boys per 100 girls seen nationally. These patterns carry practical implications for Arlington’s healthcare and senior-services planning, since the city’s growing population of residents aged 65 and older will likely skew increasingly female over the coming decade.

Arlington Metro Area (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington) Population 2026

DFW Metro Population (2021-2025)
2021 |███████████████████████████████████ 7,777,844
2022 |████████████████████████████████████ 7,972,652
2023 |█████████████████████████████████████ 8,164,140
2024 |████████████████████████████████████████ 8,353,600
2025 |█████████████████████████████████████████ 8,477,157

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan Statistical Areas

Beyond the city limits, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area holds 8,477,157 residents as of the 2025 estimate, making it the fourth-largest metro area in the United States, trailing only New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The metro added 123,557 residents between 2024 and 2025 alone, a 1.5% annual growth rate that continues to rank among the fastest of any large U.S. metro, a pattern examined further in the Rural & Urban Migration Statistics report, which identifies Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington as one of the nation’s leading destinations for both domestic in-migration and international arrivals.

Arlington represents roughly 4.8% of the total DFW metro population, a modest share reflecting just how vast the broader Metroplex has become, spanning multiple counties and dozens of incorporated cities. The city sits within Tarrant County, which holds a total population of approximately 2.2 million and includes Fort Worth as its largest city. Arlington’s position roughly equidistant between Dallas and Fort Worth, combined with its direct highway access along Interstate 30 and proximity to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, has made it a natural landing point for both employers and residents seeking central access to the entire metro region without the higher costs of either downtown core.

Arlington Population Density and Housing 2026

Arlington Housing & Density Snapshot
Density (per sq mi)    |████████████████ 4,068
Median HH Income ($K)  |███████████████ 75.2
Poverty Rate (%)       |█████ 12.9

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Arlington’s population density of roughly 4,068 residents per square mile places it in the mid-density range typical of large, mature American suburbs, denser than sprawling exurban communities on the DFW periphery but far less dense than Dallas or Fort Worth’s urban cores. The city’s 99.8 square miles are almost entirely built out, meaning future density increases are more likely to come from redevelopment and infill construction than from new greenfield expansion, a shift already visible in mixed-use development around the Entertainment District near AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field.

Economically, Arlington’s median household income of $75,171 sits close to the national median, while its poverty rate of 12.89% runs slightly above the national average of roughly 12.5%, reflecting a mix of affluent northern neighborhoods and lower-income areas in South and East Arlington. Educational attainment lags the national average somewhat, with roughly 33.1% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, a figure shaped by the city’s historically strong manufacturing and logistics employment base, which has traditionally offered solid wages without requiring four-year degrees. A notably high foreign-born share of 21.3% underscores Arlington’s role as a landing point for immigrant families settling into the broader DFW region.

Arlington Population Projections Through 2030

Arlington Population Projections
2026 |████████████████████████████████████ ~406,000
2027 |████████████████████████████████████▌ ~408,500
2028 |█████████████████████████████████████ ~411,000
2030 |██████████████████████████████████████ ~416,000

Data Source: Cubit Planning Population Projections, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey Trend Analysis

Population projections suggest the arlington population will continue growing steadily through the remainder of the decade, potentially reaching approximately 416,000 residents by 2030 if the current annual growth rate near 0.6% holds, a pace broadly consistent with the 0.6% population change the city recorded between 2019 and 2024 according to American Community Survey data. This projected trajectory would keep Arlington comfortably within the ranks of the nation’s 50 largest cities, a status it only recently secured, and would extend the city’s remarkably consistent, decades-long pattern of gradual, sustainable growth rather than boom-and-bust cycles.

Arlington’s growth outlook remains closely tied to the broader trajectory of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the country’s most consistently growing large metro regions and a frequent point of comparison alongside cities profiled in the Biggest City in US by Population report. Continued corporate relocations to North Texas, the region’s relatively affordable cost of living compared to coastal metros, and Arlington’s central position within the Metroplex all support continued modest population gains. The primary constraint on faster growth is the city’s near-complete build-out, meaning future increases will depend heavily on redevelopment density and household size trends rather than new land development.

Economic Characteristics of Arlington Population 2026

Arlington Economic Snapshot
Median HH Income ($K)   |███████████████ 75.2
Poverty Rate (%)        |█████ 12.9
Bachelor's Degree+ (%)  |█████████████ 33.1
Foreign-Born (%)        |████████ 21.3

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Arlington’s economic profile reflects its role as a diversified suburban economy anchored by manufacturing, logistics, retail, and tourism tied to its major sports and entertainment venues. A median household income of $75,171 places Arlington modestly above many Texas peer cities, while a poverty rate of 12.89% signals that economic gains have not been evenly distributed across all neighborhoods. The presence of 16,676 veterans reflects Arlington’s proximity to major military installations across North Texas and a long-standing pattern of military families settling in the area after service.

The city’s 21.3% foreign-born population is notably high, reinforcing Arlington’s function as an entry point for immigrant families into the broader DFW region, drawn by relatively affordable housing and access to manufacturing, warehousing, and service-sector jobs. Educational attainment, at roughly 33.1% holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, trails the national average, a pattern consistent with the city’s historical identity as a blue-collar manufacturing hub built around the former General Motors assembly plant, even as the broader DFW economy has diversified heavily into technology, finance, and corporate headquarters relocations in recent years.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Arlington, Texas in 2026? The arlington population stands at approximately 406,000 as of 2026, after the city officially crossed the 400,000-resident milestone in February 2026.

Is Arlington the same as Arlington, Virginia? No. This report covers Arlington, Texas, located in Tarrant County within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, a distinct city from Arlington County, Virginia, near Washington, D.C.

What was Arlington’s population in 1950? Arlington had just 4,470 residents in 1950, meaning the city has grown roughly ninetyfold over the past seven-plus decades.

How does Arlington rank among Texas cities? Arlington is the 7th largest city in Texas, behind Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, and El Paso.

What is the racial makeup of Arlington’s population? Arlington is 43.2% White, 31.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Black or African American, 17.4% multiracial, and 7.3% Asian.

What is the median age in Arlington, Texas? The median age in Arlington is 33.6 years, notably younger than the U.S. national median of roughly 38.9 years.

How big is the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area? The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area holds 8,477,157 residents as of 2025, ranking as the 4th-largest metro area in the United States.

Are there more men or women in Arlington? Women hold a slight majority in Arlington at 50.9% of the population, compared to 49.1% male residents.

What is Arlington’s population density? Arlington has a population density of approximately 4,068 residents per square mile across its roughly 99.8 square miles of land area.

What is Arlington’s projected population for 2030? Population projections suggest Arlington will reach approximately 416,000 residents by 2030, growing at a steady pace of around 0.6% annually.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available U.S. Census Bureau, City of Arlington, and demographic sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information presented. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

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