Chester County’s substantial population growth from April 2010 to July 2013 highlighted the latest U.S. Census estimates for the entire Philadelphia region, according to a report on Philly.com.

The burgeoning Chester County communities of Malvern, West Chester, East Brandywine, and West Goshen, along with Bethel and Chadds Ford on the county line, helped drive Philadelphia to its seventh consecutive year of population growth.

The 1.55-million-person metropolis remains fifth-largest in the nation and contrasts with population losses across the border in New Jersey.

“The pattern here is one of continued momentum. Townships with good fundamentals remain good places to live,” said Kevin C. Gillen, an economist at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government.

Among those attracted to Chester County are commuters who enjoy the local quality of life but work for higher wages in Delaware or Maryland.

Read more about the latest population trends on Philly.com here and interactive map here.