US Population Growth by State: Who's Booming and Who's Shrinking

The U.S. passed 340 million people, but the national total hides a dramatic internal shift: Americans are moving south and west, draining population from parts of the Northeast and Midwest. Some states have grown by double digits over the past decade while a handful have actually shrunk. This guide maps 10-year population growth for every state, ranks the fastest- and slowest-growing, and explains the migration patterns behind the map.

How fast is the U.S. population growing?

The national population has climbed steadily for decades, passing 340 million, but the rate of growth has slowed to among the lowest in U.S. history. Lower birth rates, an aging population, and swings in immigration have all reduced the pace. That slow national growth makes the state-by-state differences even more consequential: when the overall pie grows slowly, gains in fast-growing states come largely at the expense of others.

Which states are growing fastest?

The map shades each state by its population change over the past decade. The fastest growth is concentrated in the South and Mountain West — states like Texas, Florida, and several of their neighbors — where warmer weather, lower costs, more available housing, and job growth have drawn people in. The ranking below lists every state from fastest-growing to shrinking.

Why people are moving south and west

The migration is driven by a mix of economics and lifestyle: housing is cheaper and easier to build in much of the Sun Belt, many of these states have no income tax, jobs followed remote-work flexibility and business relocations, and warmer climates appeal to retirees. The result is a decades-long redistribution of population — and, with it, political representation and economic clout — away from the older industrial regions.

Which states are shrinking — and why

A small number of states lost population over the decade. The causes vary: some older industrial and rural states see more deaths than births and steady out-migration of young people seeking opportunity elsewhere; high-cost coastal states have lost residents to cheaper regions despite strong economies. Population loss feeds on itself — fewer workers and taxpayers make it harder to fund services, which can prompt still more people to leave.