Most people think of California as the most desirable state in the union. Naturally it’s assumed that there’s heavy migration into the Golden State, with the population growing at a robust clip. But for quite a number of years, that has not been the case.
At the bottom of this article are the just-released 50 states’ population figures for this past fiscal year in chart format. The states are listed in order from fastest to slowest growth. Remember that the population growth of a state is the net total change considering births, deaths, migration between states and international migration.
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/estimates-national-state.html
Yes, the California population IS growing. But in spite of our state’s wonderful physical attributes, the growth is subpar compared to the nation as a whole. In this latest 12 month period, the nation’s population grew 0.62%. California grew 0.40%. Stated differently, the country grew over 50% faster than California. I’ve been following this trend for years, and must report that this trend is not new.
The fastest growing state in this time frame was Nevada — growth that is heavily dependent on relocating Californians. In a related vein, I should mention when when it comes to departing California businesses, the #2 relocation city is Reno, Nevada. #3 is Las Vegas. (#1 is Austin, Texas.)
https://riderrants.blogspot.com/2018/12/in-2016-1800-ca-companies-disinvested.html
Idaho is in a virtual tie with Nevada for population growth. Both states’ population grew over 5 times faster than CA. Almost all the Idaho growth is in the Boise area. I think it’s fair to say that not a single Idaho arrival moved there for the weather.
The Texas population grew 1.34% — 3.35 times faster than California. For the last 15 years, Texas population has grown more than twice as fast as California.
Overall California’s population growth ranked 25th in the nation. Eight states actually LOST population this past year. California is not THAT bad.
Yet.
| table with row headers in column A and column headers in rows 3 through 5. (leading dots indicate sub-parts) | ||||||||
| Table 3. Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico and Region and State Rankings: July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2018 |
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| .Geographic Area | Population Estimate (as of July 1) |
Change, 2017 to 2018 | National Ranking of Regions and States | |||||
| Population Estimate (as of July 1) |
Change, 2017 to 2018 | |||||||
| 2017 | 2018 | Number | Percent | 2017 | 2018 | Number | Percent | |
| United States | 325,147,121 | 327,167,434 | 2,020,313 | 0.62 | (X) | (X) | (X) | (X) |
| Northeast | 56,072,676 | 56,111,079 | 38,403 | 0.07 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Midwest | 68,156,035 | 68,308,744 | 152,709 | 0.22 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| South | 123,598,424 | 124,753,948 | 1,155,524 | 0.93 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| West | 77,319,986 | 77,993,663 | 673,677 | 0.87 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| STATES | ||||||||
| Nevada | 2,972,405 | 3,034,392 | 61,987 | 2.09 | 34 | 32 | 10 | 1 |
| Idaho | 1,718,904 | 1,754,208 | 35,304 | 2.05 | 39 | 39 | 17 | 2 |
| Utah | 3,103,118 | 3,161,105 | 57,987 | 1.87 | 31 | 30 | 12 | 3 |
| Arizona | 7,048,876 | 7,171,646 | 122,770 | 1.74 | 14 | 14 | 4 | 4 |
| Florida | 20,976,812 | 21,299,325 | 322,513 | 1.54 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Washington | 7,425,432 | 7,535,591 | 110,159 | 1.48 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 6 |
| Colorado | 5,615,902 | 5,695,564 | 79,662 | 1.42 | 21 | 21 | 8 | 7 |
| Texas | 28,322,717 | 28,701,845 | 379,128 | 1.34 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| South Carolina | 5,021,219 | 5,084,127 | 62,908 | 1.25 | 23 | 23 | 9 | 9 |
| North Carolina | 10,270,800 | 10,383,620 | 112,820 | 1.10 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 10 |
| Oregon | 4,146,592 | 4,190,713 | 44,121 | 1.06 | 27 | 27 | 14 | 11 |
| Delaware | 957,078 | 967,171 | 10,093 | 1.05 | 45 | 45 | 32 | 12 |
| South Dakota | 873,286 | 882,235 | 8,949 | 1.02 | 46 | 46 | 34 | 13 |
| Georgia | 10,413,055 | 10,519,475 | 106,420 | 1.02 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 14 |
| Tennessee | 6,708,794 | 6,770,010 | 61,216 | 0.91 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 16 |
| Montana | 1,053,090 | 1,062,305 | 9,215 | 0.88 | 44 | 43 | 33 | 17 |
| Minnesota | 5,568,155 | 5,611,179 | 43,024 | 0.77 | 22 | 22 | 15 | 18 |
| North Dakota | 755,176 | 760,077 | 4,901 | 0.65 | 47 | 47 | 37 | 19 |
| Virginia | 8,465,207 | 8,517,685 | 52,478 | 0.62 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 20 |
| Nebraska | 1,917,575 | 1,929,268 | 11,693 | 0.61 | 37 | 37 | 29 | 21 |
| Massachusetts | 6,863,246 | 6,902,149 | 38,903 | 0.57 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 22 |
| N. Hampshire | 1,349,767 | 1,356,458 | 6,691 | 0.50 | 41 | 41 | 36 | 23 |
| Indiana | 6,660,082 | 6,691,878 | 31,796 | 0.48 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 24 |
| California | 39,399,349 | 39,557,045 | 157,696 | 0.40 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 25 |
| Iowa | 3,143,637 | 3,156,145 | 12,508 | 0.40 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 26 |
| Wisconsin | 5,792,051 | 5,813,568 | 21,517 | 0.37 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 27 |
| Arkansas | 3,002,997 | 3,013,825 | 10,828 | 0.36 | 32 | 33 | 30 | 28 |
| Kentucky | 4,453,874 | 4,468,402 | 14,528 | 0.33 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 29 |
| Maryland | 6,024,891 | 6,042,718 | 17,827 | 0.30 | 19 | 19 | 24 | 30 |
| Missouri | 6,108,612 | 6,126,452 | 17,840 | 0.29 | 18 | 18 | 23 | 31 |
| Vermont | 624,525 | 626,299 | 1,774 | 0.28 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 32 |
| Oklahoma | 3,932,640 | 3,943,079 | 10,439 | 0.27 | 28 | 28 | 31 | 33 |
| Alabama | 4,875,120 | 4,887,871 | 12,751 | 0.26 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 34 |
| Maine | 1,335,063 | 1,338,404 | 3,341 | 0.25 | 42 | 42 | 38 | 35 |
| New Jersey | 8,888,543 | 8,908,520 | 19,977 | 0.22 | 11 | 11 | 21 | 36 |
| Ohio | 11,664,129 | 11,689,442 | 25,313 | 0.22 | 7 | 7 | 19 | 37 |
| Michigan | 9,976,447 | 9,995,915 | 19,468 | 0.20 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 38 |
| Pennsylvania | 12,790,447 | 12,807,060 | 16,613 | 0.13 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 39 |
| New Mexico | 2,093,395 | 2,095,428 | 2,033 | 0.10 | 36 | 36 | 39 | 40 |
| Rhode Island | 1,056,486 | 1,057,315 | 829 | 0.08 | 43 | 44 | 41 | 41 |
| Kansas | 2,910,689 | 2,911,505 | 816 | – | 35 | 35 | 42 | 42 |
| Connecticut | 3,573,880 | 3,572,665 | -1,215 | – | 29 | 29 | 44 | 43 |
| Mississippi | 2,989,663 | 2,986,530 | -3,133 | -0.10 | 33 | 34 | 46 | 44 |
| Wyoming | 578,934 | 577,737 | -1,197 | -0.21 | 51 | 51 | 43 | 45 |
| Louisiana | 4,670,818 | 4,659,978 | -10,840 | -0.23 | 25 | 25 | 48 | 46 |
| New York | 19,590,719 | 19,542,209 | -48,510 | -0.25 | 4 | 4 | 51 | 47 |
| Hawaii | 1,424,203 | 1,420,491 | -3,712 | -0.26 | 40 | 40 | 47 | 48 |
| Alaska | 739,786 | 737,438 | -2,348 | -0.32 | 48 | 48 | 45 | 49 |
| Illinois | 12,786,196 | 12,741,080 | -45,116 | -0.35 | 6 | 6 | 50 | 50 |
| West Virginia | 1,817,048 | 1,805,832 | -11,216 | -0.62 | 38 | 38 | 49 | 51 |
| District of Columbia | 695,691 | 702,455 | 6,764 | 0.97 | 49 | 49 | 35 | 15 |
| Puerto Rico | 3,325,001 | 3,195,153 | -129,848 | -3.91 | (X) | (X) | (X) | (X) |
| Dash (-) represents zero or rounds to zero. | ||||||||
| (X) Not applicable. | ||||||||
| Note: The estimates are based on the 2010 Census and reflect changes to the April 1, 2010 population due to the Count Question Resolution program and geographic program revisions. See Geographic Terms and Definitions at http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/guidance-geographies/terms-and-definitions.html for a list of the states that are included in each region. All geographic boundaries for the 2018 population estimates series except statistical area delineations are as of January 1, 2018. For population estimates methodology statements, see http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/technical-documentation/methodology.html. |
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| Suggested Citation: | ||||||||
| Table 3. Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico and Region and State Rankings: July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2018 (NST-EST2018-03) | ||||||||
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division | ||||||||
| Release Date: December 2018 | ||||||||