Yesterday, the Census Bureau released 2021 population estimates for municipalities. Some of the key findings of the new data reflect how North Carolina’s cities and towns have changed since the 2020 Census. Winston-Salem’s population estimate for July 1, 2021, was 250,320, an increase of 877 or 0.4% since the 2020 Census. Of the state’s 551 municipalities, 337 or 61% had population gains since 2020. One hundred and seventy-three—31% of all municipalities—grew faster than the state rate of 1.1%.