Sunbelt and Mountain West States Continue Population Growth
Sunbelt and Mountain West states, with few exceptions, continue to see population growth according to new estimates the U.S. Census Bureau recently released. The 2022 American Community Survey 1-year estimates became available yesterday (September 14, 2023) for several levels of geography, including states.
Results reveal a continuation of ongoing population change trends in recent years for different regions of the country, including for many areas of the southeast and mountain west. Similar regional population change trends are also seen when examining metro areas in recent years. Several reasons for ongoing population growth in a number of Sunbelt and Mountain West states include a combination of economic growth, job opportunities, remote work opportunities, demographic shifts, quality of life and affordability, and favorable climate and amenities.
Not surprisingly, the top five states whose population’s grew the most from 2021 to 2022 include Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina. On the flipside, the five states that lost the most population from 2021 to 2022 include California, New York, Illinois, Louisiana, and Ohio.
Regarding percent change in estimated population from 2021 to 2022, the top five states with the greatest percent growth include Florida, Idaho, South Carolina, Texas, and Montana. On the other hand, the five states with the largest percent decline in their populations include New York, Louisiana, Illinois, California, and West Virginia.
In Summary
Maps are important tools to help us quickly visualize and assess trends in population data. The visualizations presented above map out the numeric and percent population change by state from 2021 to 2022 based on census data, specifically from the 2022 American Community Survey 1-year estimates. In another article, we will use these data to examine population change in metropolitan areas from 2021 to 2022.
