VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK on Katella Avenue in Stanton, which is one of the few OC cities gaining population (File photo).

Feeling like you’ve got a little more elbow room these days? Freeways aren’t quite as crowded?

It’s true … Most cities in Orange County appear to be losing population, a product of declining birth rates and migration out of the area, still one of the most expensive places to live in the United States.

According to estimates recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau, four of the five largest (by population) cities in Orange County are down since the 2020 census. In our coverage area in West Orange County, three of four cities are showing declines.

The most populous city, Anaheim, has declined from 346,816 to 340,412. The new second place city is Irvine, which has seen its population grow from 307,675 to 314,621. Now in third in Santa Ana, down slightly from 310,557 to 310,539.

In fourth is Huntington Beach, down from 198,721 to 192,129. Fifth is Garden Grove, down from 171,980 to 168,234.

Our local cities of Westminster and Stanton are going in different directions with the former falling from 90,819 to 88,729 and the latter showing an increase from 37,964 to 38,815.