The COVID-19 pandemic had a staggering effect on U.S. population growth. The population grew by only 0.1% in the year that ended July 1, 2021, according to the Census Bureau, the slowest growth rate in American history. The last time the population increased by less than a million was in 1937, at the depths of the Great Depression. Other than deaths from the virus, low birth rates and slowing international migration were the largest contributing factors.
Population growth was uneven nationwide. Ten states actually posted declines in population. The largest of these was the 1.6% drop in New York, which took the number of residents to 20,154,933. The state where the population has grown the most since the pandemic is Idaho, where the population grew by 2.9% to 1,900,923. (And this is the American city the most people are leaving.)
More than 30 states posted population growth over the period. To identify the state that has grown the most since the pandemic, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed one-year population change, from July 1, 2020, to July 1, 2021, using population data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Listed are the 31 states where the population has grown over that time.
Some states where the population increased during the pandemic were already growing as the result of the longtime trend of Americans moving out of Rust Belt states like Michigan and Ohio and Northeastern states like New York and heading to warmer climates (and places with lower taxes) such as Arizona, Florida and Texas. (These are the states with the highest and lowest property taxes.)
In addition, some people chose new states where COVID-19 mandates were nonexistent or less severe, such as South Dakota as well as Florida and Texas.
Click here to see the states that have grown most since the pandemic began
Source: Ron_Thomas / Getty Images
31. Wisconsin
> 1-year change in population: 0.1%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 5,892,323
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 5,895,908
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 6,602.29
[in-text-ad]
Source: ChrisBoswell / Getty Images
30. Oregon
> 1-year change in population: 0.1%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 4,241,544
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 4,246,155
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 6,229.43
24/7 Wall St.
Source: wellesenterprises / iStock via Getty Images
29. Nebraska
> 1-year change in population: 0.1%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 1,961,455
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 1,963,692
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 2,263.71
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
28. Virginia
> 1-year change in population: 0.1%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 8,632,044
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 8,642,274
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 8,530.14
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: alexeys / iStock via Getty Images
27. Kentucky
> 1-year change in population: 0.1%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 4,503,958
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 4,509,394
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 10,786.71
26. Iowa
> 1-year change in population: 0.1%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 3,188,669
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 3,193,079
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 3,684.14
[in-text-ad]
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
25. Connecticut
> 1-year change in population: 0.1%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 3,600,260
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 3,605,597
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 2,238.43
Source: f11photo / Getty Images
24. Missouri
> 1-year change in population: 0.2%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 6,154,481
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 6,168,187
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 7,755.00
Source: Pung / Shutterstock.com
23. Washington
> 1-year change in population: 0.3%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 7,718,785
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 7,738,692
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 19,490.29
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Brian Evans / iStock via Getty Images
22. Wyoming
> 1-year change in population: 0.3%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 577,267
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 578,803
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 1,233.14
Source: f11photo / Getty Images
21. Indiana
> 1-year change in population: 0.3%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 6,785,644
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 6,805,985
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 9,046.00
[in-text-ad]
Source: Allard1 / Getty Images
20. Alabama
> 1-year change in population: 0.3%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 5,024,803
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 5,039,877
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 8,848.57
Source: BlazenImages / Getty Images
19. Arkansas
> 1-year change in population: 0.5%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 3,012,232
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 3,025,891
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 4,982.57
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
18. Vermont
> 1-year change in population: 0.5%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 642,495
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 645,570
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 646.57
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: f11photo / Getty Images
17. Colorado
> 1-year change in population: 0.5%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 5,784,308
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 5,812,069
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 6,424.29
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
16. Oklahoma
> 1-year change in population: 0.6%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 3,962,031
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 3,986,639
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 8,067.86
[in-text-ad]
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
15. Georgia
> 1-year change in population: 0.7%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 10,725,800
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 10,799,566
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 13,655.86
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
14. Maine
> 1-year change in population: 0.7%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 1,362,280
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 1,372,247
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 1,040.71
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
13. Tennessee
> 1-year change in population: 0.8%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 6,920,119
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 6,975,218
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 13,113.57
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
12. New Hampshire
> 1-year change in population: 0.8%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 1,377,848
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 1,388,992
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 1,673.71
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
11. North Carolina
> 1-year change in population: 0.9%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 10,457,177
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 10,551,162
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 18,802.86
[in-text-ad]
Source: peeterv / iStock via Getty Images
10. South Dakota
> 1-year change in population: 0.9%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 887,099
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 895,376
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 1,124.29
Source: 4kodiak / Getty Images
9. Nevada
> 1-year change in population: 1.0%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 3,114,071
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 3,143,991
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 3,793.57
Source: marchello74 / Getty Images
8. Florida
> 1-year change in population: 1.0%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 21,569,932
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 21,781,128
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 24,682.86
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Barbara Smyers / iStock via Getty Images
7. Texas
> 1-year change in population: 1.1%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 29,217,653
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 29,527,941
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 35,168.86
Source: mdgmorris / Getty Images
6. Delaware
> 1-year change in population: 1.2%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 991,886
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 1,003,384
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 963.43
[in-text-ad]
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
5. South Carolina
> 1-year change in population: 1.2%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 5,130,729
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 5,190,705
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 17,455.71
Source: Nick Fox / Shutterstock.com
4. Arizona
> 1-year change in population: 1.4%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 7,177,986
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 7,276,316
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 14,763.14
Source: miroslav_1 / Getty Images
3. Montana
> 1-year change in population: 1.7%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 1,086,193
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 1,104,271
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 2,155.14
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Adventure_Photo / Getty Images
2. Utah
> 1-year change in population: 1.7%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 3,281,684
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 3,337,975
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 5,366.29
Source: vkbhat / Getty Images
1. Idaho
> 1-year change in population: 2.9%
> Population estimate (July 1, 2020) 1,847,772
> Population estimate (July 1, 2021) 1,900,923
> Avg. new COVID cases, past 7 days 2,749.00
Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With An Advisor Now (Sponsored)
Are you ready for retirement? Planning for retirement can be overwhelming, that’s why it could be a good idea to speak to a fiduciary financial advisor about your goals today.
Start by taking this retirement quiz right here from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes. Smart Asset is now matching over 50,000 people a month.
Click here now to get started.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
