Southern states grew at a faster rate than those in the Northeast, West, or Midwest, according to the latest estimates released on Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The U.S. added about 1.6 million people, according to the Census Bureau's estimate, with more than two-thirds coming from international migration, for a growth rate of about 0.5%, which is a slight increase from 0.4% in 2022 but lower than the 2% increase seen in 2021.
The South's population grew by 1.1% over the last six months of 2022 and the first six of 2023 for an estimated increase of 1,423,260 people, which the bureau notes accounts for 87% of the nation's growth throughout 2023.
The West and the Midwest grew by about 0.2%, an estimated 126,255 in the Midwest and 137,299 in the West. The Northeast's population shrank by 0.1%, for an estimated loss of 43,330 people.
"U.S. migration returning to pre-pandemic levels and a drop in deaths are driving the nation's growth," Kristie Wilder, a statistician and demographer in the Census Bureau's Population Division, said in a statement.
"Although births declined, this was tempered by the near-9% decrease in deaths," Wilder added. "Ultimately, fewer deaths paired with rebounding immigration resulted in the nation experiencing its largest population gain since 2018."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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