Beth Jarosz
Senior Fellow, McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University
How Did State Populations Change 2010-2020?
The U.S. Census Bureau released the first results from the 2020 Census: total population for the nation, states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Author
The U.S. Census Bureau just released the first results from the 2020 Census: total population for the nation, states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Highlights:
- U.S. population grew by 7.4%—the second-slowest growth rate in U.S. history.
- The South was the fastest-growing region (10.2%), while the Midwest was the slowest-growing (3.1%).
- California remains the largest state, and Wyoming remains the smallest.
- Fastest-growing states (from fastest): Utah, Idaho, Texas, North Dakota, Nevada.
- Three states lost population since 2010: Illinois, Mississippi, West Virginia. Puerto Rico also lost population over the decade.
- Six states gained seats in Congress: Texas (+2); Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon (each +1).
- Seven states lost a seat: California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia. New York’s margin for losing a seat was just 89 people.
Additional details, including the first demographic characteristic details from the 2020 census, are scheduled for release beginning in August 2021.
Source: Analysis by PRB of data from U.S. Census Bureau.