DEC. 19 — Population trends are returning to pre-pandemic norms as the number of annual deaths decreased last year and migration reverted to patterns not seen since before 2020, according to the new Vintage 2023 population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The nation gained more than 1.6 million people this past year, growing by 0.5% to 334,914,895. More states experienced population growth in 2023 than in any year since the start of the pandemic.
This year’s national population growth is still historically low but is a slight uptick from the 0.4% increase in 2022 and the 0.2% increase in 2021.
“U.S. migration returning to pre-pandemic levels and a drop in deaths are driving the nation’s growth,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Population Division at the Census Bureau. “Although births declined, this was tempered by the near 9% decrease in deaths. Ultimately, fewer deaths paired with rebounding immigration resulted in the nation experiencing its largest population gain since 2018.”
The South Drives Nation’s Population Growth
The expansion of the South — the nation’s most populous region — accounted for 87% of the nation’s growth in 2023, as the region added over 1.4 million residents for a total population of 130,125,290. The South is the only region to have maintained population growth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth in 2023 can largely be attributed to the region’s migration patterns as 706,266 people were added via net domestic migration, while net international migration contributed almost 500,000 to the total.
After two consecutive years of decline, the population in the Midwest had a moderate gain of 0.2%, or just over 126,000 residents. The Midwest’s population rebounded due to a lower rate of outmigration to other regions, increased international migration, a slowdown in population loss in Illinois, and growth in Indiana, Minnesota and Ohio.
The West also expanded, with 137,299 people added to the region, slightly lower than the 157,480 people added in 2022. Somewhat higher international migration and slightly fewer deaths were offset by higher outmigration to other regions. Fewer Western states experienced population loss in 2023, with Alaska and New Mexico gaining population again after losing population the prior year. California, Oregon and Hawaii continued to lose population but at a more modest pace than the prior year.
The Northeast’s population declined in 2023, down 43,330, but the loss was considerably smaller than the 216,576 decline in 2022 or the 187,054 decline in 2021, reflecting substantially less outmigration to other regions. New York and Pennsylvania were the only Northeastern states to lose population in 2023 but the declines were considerably reduced from the prior year.
More States Gaining Population
In 2023, more states gained population than has been seen since the start of the pandemic. At the state level, 42 states and the District of Columbia had an increase in population, up from 31 states and the District of Columbia in 2022 and 34 states in 2021. The increasing number of states with population growth reflects both the broad national trends of deaths and net international migration returning to pre-COVID levels as well as reduced net domestic outmigration for some of the states.
Eleven states that lost population in 2022 are now seeing gains: New Jersey (30,024), Ohio (26,238), Minnesota (23,615), Massachusetts (18,659), Maryland (16,272), Michigan (3,980), Kansas (3,830), Rhode Island (2,120), New Mexico (895), Mississippi (762), and Alaska (130).
Eight states saw their population fall in 2023: California (-75,423), Hawaii (-4,261), Illinois (-32,826), Louisiana (-14,274), New York (-101,984), Oregon (-6,021), Pennsylvania (-10,408), and West Virginia
(-3,964). Collectively, these states had a population loss of 249,161 in 2023, compared to a loss of 509,789 in 2022. While many of these states have lost population annually since 2020, their population declines have slowed.
As more states experience population growth, that growth is no longer concentrated in only a few states. For example, four southern states — Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia — accounted for 93% of the nation’s population growth in 2022, but only 67% in 2023.
Texas experienced the largest numeric change in the nation, adding 473,453 people, followed by Florida, which added 365,205 residents. South Carolina and Florida were the two fastest-growing states in the nation, growing by 1.7% and 1.6%, respectively, in 2023.
Georgia also reached a new population threshold as the state’s population exceeded 11 million people in 2023, increasing by 116,077 to a total population of 11,029,227.
Refer to the bottom of the release for tables on the Top 10 Most Populous States: 2023, Top 10 States by Numeric Growth: 2022 to 2023, and Top 10 States or State Equivalent by Percent Growth: 2022 to 2023.
Puerto Rico’s Population Decline Slows
The population in Puerto Rico was 3,205,691 in 2023, continuing the trend of population decline for the U.S. territory. However, the rate of population decline has slowed, with a loss of 0.4%, or 14,422 people, in 2023 compared to a loss of 1.3%, or 42,580 people, in 2022.
Puerto Rico had its first year of positive net migration since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding 1,872 people via migration in 2023.
Meanwhile, births declined by 4.5% and deaths increased by 2.8%, resulting in a loss of 16,294 residents from natural decrease, curtailing Puerto Rico’s growth.
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Tables
Table 1
| Top 10 Most Populous States: 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Geographic Area | April 1, 2020 (Estimates Base) | July 1, 2022 | July 1, 2023 |
| 1 | California | 39,538,212 | 39,040,616 | 38,965,193 |
| 2 | Texas | 29,145,459 | 30,029,848 | 30,503,301 |
| 3 | Florida | 21,538,216 | 22,245,521 | 22,610,726 |
| 4 | New York | 20,202,320 | 19,673,200 | 19,571,216 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 13,002,788 | 12,972,091 | 12,961,683 |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,813,469 | 12,582,515 | 12,549,689 |
| 7 | Ohio | 11,799,331 | 11,759,697 | 11,785,935 |
| 8 | Georgia | 10,713,771 | 10,913,150 | 11,029,227 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 10,439,459 | 10,695,965 | 10,835,491 |
| 10 | Michigan | 10,077,674 | 10,033,281 | 10,037,261 |
Table 2
| Top 10 States by Numeric Growth: 2022 to 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Geographic Area | April 1, 2020 (Estimates Base) | July 1, 2022 | July 1, 2023 | Numeric Growth |
| 1 | Texas | 29,145,459 | 30,029,848 | 30,503,301 | 473,453 |
| 2 | Florida | 21,538,216 | 22,245,521 | 22,610,726 | 365,205 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 10,439,459 | 10,695,965 | 10,835,491 | 139,526 |
| 4 | Georgia | 10,713,771 | 10,913,150 | 11,029,227 | 116,077 |
| 5 | South Carolina | 5,118,422 | 5,282,955 | 5,373,555 | 90,600 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 6,910,786 | 7,048,976 | 7,126,489 | 77,513 |
| 7 | Arizona | 7,157,902 | 7,365,684 | 7,431,344 | 65,660 |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,631,373 | 8,679,099 | 8,715,698 | 36,599 |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,773,707 | 5,841,039 | 5,877,610 | 36,571 |
| 10 | Utah | 3,271,614 | 3,381,236 | 3,417,734 | 36,498 |
Table 3
| Top 10 States or State Equivalent by Percent Growth: 2022 to 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Geographic Area | April 1, 2020 (Estimates Base) | July 1, 2022 | July 1, 2023 | Percent Growth |
| 1 | South Carolina | 5,118,422 | 5,282,955 | 5,373,555 | 1.7 |
| 2 | Florida | 21,538,216 | 22,245,521 | 22,610,726 | 1.6 |
| 3 | Texas | 29,145,459 | 30,029,848 | 30,503,301 | 1.6 |
| 4 | Idaho | 1,839,117 | 1,938,996 | 1,964,726 | 1.3 |
| 5 | North Carolina | 10,439,459 | 10,695,965 | 10,835,491 | 1.3 |
| 6 | Delaware | 989,946 | 1,019,459 | 1,031,890 | 1.2 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | 689,548 | 670,949 | 678,972 | 1.2 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 6,910,786 | 7,048,976 | 7,126,489 | 1.1 |
| 9 | Utah | 3,271,614 | 3,381,236 | 3,417,734 | 1.1 |
| 10 | Georgia | 10,713,771 | 10,913,150 | 11,029,227 | 1.1 |
As a seasoned demographer with extensive expertise in population trends and migration patterns, I can confidently delve into the insights provided by the Vintage 2023 population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau on December 19. My comprehensive understanding of demographic shifts, statistical analyses, and migration dynamics equips me to decipher and communicate the nuanced information embedded in the data.
The key findings from the release indicate a return to pre-pandemic population norms in the United States. The nation experienced a notable growth of over 1.6 million people in the past year, constituting a 0.5% increase, with a total population reaching 334,914,895. This growth, though historically low, represents a slight uptick from the 0.4% increase in 2022 and the 0.2% increase in 2021.
The regional analysis underscores the South's dominance in driving the nation's population growth, accounting for 87% of the overall growth in 2023. The South, as the most populous region, added over 1.4 million residents, totaling a population of 130,125,290. Notably, the South is the only region that maintained population growth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, attributed to migration patterns and contributions from both domestic and international sources.
The Midwest witnessed a moderate gain of 0.2% in population after two consecutive years of decline, thanks to factors such as reduced outmigration, increased international migration, and specific state-level dynamics. The West also expanded, with 137,299 people added, although slightly lower than the previous year. Notably, fewer Western states experienced population loss, with some, like Alaska and New Mexico, gaining population again.
The Northeast, while still experiencing a population decline, saw a considerably smaller loss in 2023 compared to previous years, reflecting reduced outmigration to other regions. New York and Pennsylvania were the only Northeastern states to lose population, but the declines were less severe.
The state-level analysis reveals a shift in population trends, with more states gaining population in 2023 than in previous years. Noteworthy is the reversal of fortunes for eleven states that lost population in 2022 but experienced gains in 2023. Texas stands out with the largest numeric change, adding 473,453 people, followed by Florida with 365,205 residents. The concentration of population growth in a few states has decreased, emphasizing a broader distribution of growth across the nation.
Finally, the report touches on Puerto Rico, indicating a continued population decline but at a slower rate. Positive net migration in 2023 partially offset the decline, while births decreased and deaths increased, resulting in a net loss of residents.
These findings collectively paint a comprehensive picture of the population dynamics in the United States, showcasing the intricate interplay of migration, births, and deaths, and highlighting regional variations in population growth and decline.
