Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Texas and Arizona experienced the fastest population growth by percentage of any other American state this century, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau data.
Between July 1, 2000, and July 1, 2023 Michigan and Illinois recorded the smallest population upticks at just 0.9%, followed by Louisiana at 2.3% and New York at 3%.
The population in Nevada soared 58% in the time to more than 3 million people.
All U.S. states except West Virginia recorded some population growth over this period. West Virginia's population dipped 2%.
Key factors in population change are more births, births exceeding deaths, internal migration from within the nation, and immigration from other countries, Prof. Kenneth Johnson, a senior demographer at the University of New Hampshire, told Newsweek.
Johnson said Utah generally has a high population growth due to high birth rates.
Between 2000 and 2023 population in the U.S. increased from approximately 281 million people to about 333 million, according to the census data.
Johnson said that the Great Recession, which lasted from December 2007 to June 2009 in the U.S., had a significant impact on American population growth and migration, significantly reducing fertility rates and generally slowing migration.
