RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Charlotte and Raleigh have been named as two of the top 10 cities in the nation with the most new residents after adding thousands of people to their city limits.

U.S. Census estimates released Thursday show that Charlotte added 17,471 people between July 2006 and July 2007. Raleigh added 15,148 people in the same span. Those figures ranked the cities ninth and tenth overall in numerical growth, behind larger cities such as San Antonio, New York and Phoenix.

Houston added the most people ó nearly 39,000.

The Raleigh suburb of Cary ranked as the fifth fastest-growing city on a percentage basis. New Orleans grew at the quickest pace in its recovery from Hurricane Katrina.