(Houston, TX) -- U.S. Census data says Houston-area population growth is mainly happening in the suburbs, with Liberty County leading the way. The ten counties surrounding Houston added 170-thousand residents between 2022 and 2023. During that period, Liberty County's population grew more than six-percent, for the fastest growth in the Houston metro area and the third-highest in the state. By comparison, Montgomery County's population grew nearly five-percent, Fort Bend just over three-percent, and Harris County one-percent.