New Data From U.S. Census: Idaho is Nation’s Fastest-Growing State

From the U.S. Census:

Idaho was the nation’s fastest-growing state over the last year. Its population increased 2.2 percent to 1.7 million from July 1, 2016, to July 1, 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s national and state population estimates released today.
Following Idaho for the largest percentage increases in population were: Nevada (2.0 percent), Utah (1.9 percent), Washington (1.7 percent), and Florida along with Arizona (1.6 percent).
“Domestic migration drove change in the two fastest-growing states, Idaho and Nevada, while an excess of births over deaths played a major part in the growth of the third fastest-growing state, Utah,” said Luke Rogers, Chief of the Population Estimates Branch.

The U.S. population grew by 2.3 million between July 1, 2016, and July 1, 2017, representing a 0.72 percent increase to 325.7 million. Furthermore, the population of voting-age residents (adults age 18 and over) grew to 252.1 million (77.4 percent of the 2017 total population), an increase of 0.93 percent from 2016 (249.5 million). Net international migration decreased 1.8 percent between 2016 and 2017, making it the first drop since 2012-2013. However, net international migration continues to be a significant factor in the population growth of the United States, adding just over 1.1 million people in the last year.
Eight states lost population between July 1, 2016, and July 1, 2017. Illinois had the largest numeric decline, losing 33,703 people (this was a relatively small percentage change compared to its population of 12.8 million). Wyoming had the largest percentage decline (1.0 percent). Three states that had been losing population in the previous year, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Vermont, saw slight increases.
States in the South and West continued to lead in population growth. In 2017, 38.0 percent of the nation’s population lived in the South and 23.8 percent lived in the West.
In addition to the population estimates for the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the new estimates show that Puerto Rico had an estimated population of 3.3 million, a decline from 3.4 million in 2016.
The estimates for Puerto Rico are as of July 1, 2017, and therefore do not reflect the effects of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. The estimates for Gulf states affected by Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 and Hurricane Irma in September 2017 are also not reflected in the July 1, 2017, estimates.
Also released today were national-and state-level estimates of the components of population change, which include tables on births, deaths and migration.

Top 10 Most Populous States: 2017

Rank	Name	2010	2016	2017
1	California	37,254,518	39,296,476	39,536,653
2	Texas	25,146,100	27,904,862	28,304,596
3	Florida	18,804,594	20,656,589	20,984,400
4	New York	19,378,110	19,836,286	19,849,399
5	Pennsylvania	12,702,857	12,787,085	12,805,537
6	Illinois	12,831,565	12,835,726	12,802,023
7	Ohio	11,536,730	11,622,554	11,658,609
8	Georgia	9,688,690	10,313,620	10,429,379
9	North Carolina	9,535,721	10,156,689	10,273,419
10	Michigan	9,884,129	9,933,445	9,962,311

Top 10 States in Numeric Growth: 2016 to 2017

Rank	Name	2010	2016	2017	Numeric growth
1	Texas	25,146,100	27,904,862	28,304,596	399,734
2	Florida	18,804,594	20,656,589	20,984,400	327,811
3	California	37,254,518	39,296,476	39,536,653	240,177
4	Washington	6,724,545	7,280,934	7,405,743	124,809
5	North Carolina	9,535,721	10,156,689	10,273,419	116,730
6	Georgia	9,688,690	10,313,620	10,429,379	115,759
7	Arizona	6,392,309	6,908,642	7,016,270	107,628
8	Colorado	5,029,325	5,530,105	5,607,154	77,049
9	Tennessee	6,346,295	6,649,404	6,715,984	66,580
10	South Carolina	4,625,381	4,959,822	5,024,369	64,547

Top 10 States in Percentage Growth: 2016 to 2017

Rank	Name	2010	2016	2017	Percent growth
1	Idaho	1,567,650	1,680,026	1,716,943	2.2
2	Nevada	2,700,691	2,939,254	2,998,039	2.0
3	Utah	2,763,889	3,044,321	3,101,833	1.9
4	Washington	6,724,545	7,280,934	7,405,743	1.7
5	Florida	18,804,594	20,656,589	20,984,400	1.6
6	Arizona	6,392,309	6,908,642	7,016,270	1.6
7	Texas	25,146,100	27,904,862	28,304,596	1.4
8	District of Columbia	601,766	684,336	693,972	1.4
9	Colorado	5,029,325	5,530,105	5,607,154	1.4
10	Oregon	3,831,072	4,085,989	4,142,776	1.4

During 2018, the Census Bureau will release estimates of the 2017 population of counties, cities and towns, and metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, as well as national, state and county population estimates by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin. Population estimates for Puerto Rico and its municipios by age and sex will be released as well.

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