DALLAS- FORT WORTH RANK #1 AS FASTEST GROWING METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE U.S.

(CNN) -- More people moved to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, than to any other metropolitan area in the United States last year.

The population here increased by 162,250 between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report. Atlanta, Phoenix and Houston also saw their ranks swell by more than 100,000 people each.

The census measures metro areas with the biggest population increases, as well as the fastest-growing metro areas.

Indeed, eight out of the top ten fastest growing metro areas were located in the South, and the South also accounted for more than half of the 50 fastest growing regions.

The U.S. Census bureau grouped counties into 363 metropolitan areas across the country. Those metropolitan areas contained 251.9 million people, or 83.5% of the nation's population.