Population growth in the United States has slowed significantly, with an increase of 1.8 million people, or 0.5%, between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025. This is according to the new Vintage 2025 population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
This rate marks the slowest annual growth since the early COVID-19 pandemic period, when the population grew by only 0.2% in 2021. The slowdown follows a notable rise in growth in 2024, when the country added 3.2 million people and grew by 1.0%, which was the fastest rate since 2006.
Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for Estimates and Projections at the Census Bureau, said: “The slowdown in U.S. population growth is largely due to a historic decline in net international migration, which dropped from 2.7 million to 1.3 million in the period from July 2024 through June 2025.” She added: “With births and deaths remaining relatively stable compared to the prior year, the sharp decline in net international migration is the main reason for the slower growth rate we see today.”
All four census regions experienced slower population growth or faster declines except Montana and West Virginia.
The Midwest was unique among regions as all its states gained population from July 2024 to July 2025. The region saw steady increases after previous declines earlier this decade; small increases in natural change contributed to this trend.
Marc Perry, senior demographer at the Census Bureau, noted: “From July 2024 through June 2025, the Midwest also saw positive net domestic migration for the first time this decade.” He explained that while net domestic migration amounted to just over sixteen thousand people, it marked a significant turnaround from losses of more than one hundred seventy-five thousand seen earlier in this decade.
Ohio and Michigan exemplified these trends with Ohio’s net domestic migration moving from -32,482 in 2021 to +11,926 in 2025 and Michigan shifting from -28,290 to +1,796 over that period.
South Carolina had a substantial increase due mainly to domestic migration gains; its population rose by nearly eighty thousand (a gain of about one and a half percent), though slightly less than last year’s increase of one point eight percent. Idaho (up by approximately one point four percent) and North Carolina (up by about one point three percent) followed similar patterns driven by domestic migration gains. Texas experienced rapid growth (one point two percent) fueled both by natural change and international migration despite slowing gains from abroad. Utah’s one percent rise came mainly from natural change rather than international arrivals.
Between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025:
– The U.S. population reached an estimated total of approximately three hundred forty-one point eight million.
– Growth was much lower than during the previous twelve months when it increased by one percent or three point two million people.
– Net international migration fell sharply—by more than half—to around one point three million.
– If current trends persist into next year net international migration could fall further toward three hundred twenty-one thousand.
– Natural change (births minus deaths) remained near five hundred nineteen thousand—similar to last year but well below pre-pandemic levels such as those seen between two thousand seventeen (about one point one million) and two thousand ten (ranging up to almost two million).
Every U.S region recorded slower growth compared with recent years:
– The South’s rate dipped below one percent for only its second time since two thousand twenty-one.
– Northeast states showed their largest decrease—from zero point eight percent down to zero point two percent.
Most states gained residents except California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont and West Virginia which lost population during this period.
More states—thirty-three plus D.C.—had positive natural change compared with thirty-two plus D.C last year; this continues an upward trend after lows reached during earlier years of this decade.
Net international migration declined across all states but remained positive overall; Florida received about one hundred seventy-eight thousand newcomers from abroad followed closely by Texas at about one hundred sixty-seven thousand then California at just over one hundred nine thousand followed by New York at roughly ninety-six thousand.
Thirty-one states recorded positive net domestic migration—slightly more than last year—with Alabama surpassing Florida on this measure for mid-twenty twenty-five as Florida’s inflow fell substantially relative both recent years’ totals and historical norms.
Puerto Rico continued experiencing annual decreases with its resident count dropping another seventeen-thousand six-hundred eighty-six persons—a reduction attributed mostly to negative natural change as deaths outnumbered births nearly two-to-one—and reversing recent gains via net out-migration versus prior-year inflows.
The latest figures reflect updated methodologies using additional administrative data sources and revised short-term projections as detailed on Random Samplings blog (“New Population Estimates Show Historic Decline in Net International Migration”).
These estimates are part of an annual series calculated using birth/death/migration data following each decennial census—including details on national/state/territorial totals plus voting-age populations—and will be updated again soon for metropolitan areas/counties per schedule posted on the Census Bureau website.
Annual revisions mean comparisons should only be made within each release vintage; older versions are archived accordingly.
