Boston recorded the state’s largest population decline last year, while Everett and Worcester saw the biggest gains, according to newly released U.S. Census data.

The city lost 1,338 residents last year, bringing Boston’s population to 672,973. Since 2020, the city’s population has declined by 5,644 people, continuing a broader post-pandemic trend of residents leaving the city.

But Boston was far from alone in seeing an exodus of residents. Of the 58 Massachusetts communities included in the Census estimates, 31 saw population declines between 2024 and 2025, while 27 added residents.

Everett recorded the largest increase, gaining 2,362 residents, followed by Worcester, which added 1,916 people, according to the data.

Other communities that saw gains included Quincy, Revere, and Woburn, while cities such as Springfield, Brockton, and Lowell also experienced declines.

Housing costs and less immigration are two driving factors for Boston’s dwindling population, according to the Boston Business Journal. High rent and real estate prices are pushing residents out of pricy cities in search of cheaper living, and federal policy has slowed immigration that would otherwise bring people to certain areas. 

Researchers have pointed to immigration as the primary force behind Massachusetts’ population growth. A UMass Amherst analysis of 2024 Census data found that roughly 90,000 immigrants moved to Massachusetts that year, while about 27,500 domestic migrants moved to other parts of the country.

According to a UMass analysis of the latest Census data, last year’s state population growth happened at a notably slower pace than in previous years. Massachusetts’ population increased by 15,500 residents, or just 0.2 percent, down from nearly 1 percent growth during the previous year.