The US Census Bureau thread

[dave8721]

This would have been a good thread starter by itself. Its interesting to see the differences between cities. Some had growth all over, some only at the fringes. Miami has nice dark blue areas (infill) all through the metro (and of course those pesky ones at the fringes). Atlanta looks all blue.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

I really like that site. The national map does an especially good job of showing where our megapolitan regions are developing.

[Urbanguy]

North Dakota is Nation's Fastest-Growing State Since 2011

North Dakota's total population climbed by 2.17 percent between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012. This is the fastest growth of any state, and nearly three times faster than the nation as a whole, according to Census Bureau state population estimates released today.

The 10 Fastest-Growing States from July 1, 2011, to July 1, 2012
Percent Change

1. North Dakota 2.17
2. District of Columbia 2.15
3. Texas 1.67
4. Wyoming 1.60
5. Utah 1.45
6. Nevada 1.43
7. Colorado 1.39
8. Arizona 1.33
9. Florida 1.23
10. South Dakota 1.19

The 10 States with the Largest Population Increase
from July 1, 2011, to July 1, 2012
Numeric Change

1. Texas 427,400
2. California 357,500
3. Florida 235,300
4. Georgia 107,500
5. North Carolina 101,000
6. Arizona 86,000
7. Virginia 81,500
8. Washington 73,700
9. Colorado 71,300
10. New York 68,600

Population estimates as of July 1, 2012.

Alabama: 4,822,023
Alaska: 731,449
Arizona: 6,553,255
Arkansas: 2,949,131
California: 38,041,430
Colorado: 5,187,582
Connecticut: 3,590,347
Delaware: 917,092
District of Columbia: 632,323
Florida: 19,317,568
Georgia: 9,919,945
Hawaii: 1,392,313
Idaho: 1,595,728
Illinois: 12,875,255
Indiana: 6,537,334
Iowa: 3,074,186
Kansas: 2,885,905
Kentucky: 4,380,415
Louisiana: 4,601,893
Maine: 1,329,192
Maryland: 5,884,563
Massachusetts: 6,646,144
Michigan: 9,883,360
Minnesota: 5,379,139
Mississippi: 2,984,926
Missouri: 6,021,988
Montana: 1,005,141
Nebraska: 1,855,525
Nevada: 2,758,931
New Hampshire: 1,320,718
New Jersey: 8,864,590
New Mexico: 2,085,538
New York: 19,570,261
North Carolina: 9,752,073
North Dakota: 699,628
Ohio: 11,544,225
Oklahoma: 3,814,820
Oregon: 3,899,353
Pennsylvania: 12,763,536
Rhode Island: 1,050,292
South Carolina: 4,723,723
South Dakota: 833,354
Tennessee: 6,456,243
Texas: 26,059,203
Utah: 2,855,287
Vermont: 626,011
Virginia: 8,185,867
Washington: 6,897,012
West Virginia: 1,855,413
Wisconsin: 5,726,398
Wyoming: 576,412
United States of America: 313,914,040

Population change July 2011-2012

Alabama: 18,334
Alaska: 7,589
Arizona: 85,940
Arkansas: 10,549
California: 357,497
Colorado: 71,280
Connecticut: 3,630
Delaware: 8,955
District of Columbia: 13,303
Florida: 235,306
Georgia: 107,485
Hawaii: 14,184
Idaho: 11,984
Illinois: 15,503
Indiana: 20,981
Iowa: 10,089
Kansas: 15,519
Kentucky: 13,601
Louisiana: 27,127
Maine: 648
Maryland: 44,991
Massachusetts: 39,141
Michigan: 6,559
Minnesota: 31,840
Mississippi: 7,469
Missouri: 13,004
Montana: 7,474
Nebraska: 13,291
Nevada: 38,903
New Hampshire: 2,911
New Jersey: 29,817
New Mexico: 6,864
New York: 68,645
North Carolina: 100,970
North Dakota: 14,888
Ohio: 3,218
Oklahoma: 30,657
Oregon: 31,124
Pennsylvania: 19,588
Rhode Island: 354
South Carolina: 50,375
South Dakota: 9,761
Tennessee: 56,456
Texas: 427,425
Utah: 40,940
Vermont: 581
Virginia: 81,483
Washington: 73,745
West Virginia: 505
Wisconsin: 16,555
Wyoming: 9,056
United States of America: 2,326,224

Population rank as of July 2012

1 California: 38,041,430
2 Texas: 26,059,203
3 New York: 19,570,261
4 Florida: 19,317,568
5 Illinois: 12,875,255
6 Pennsylvania: 12,763,536
7 Ohio: 11,544,225
8 Georgia: 9,919,945
9 Michigan: 9,883,360
10 North Carolina: 9,752,073
11 New Jersey: 8,864,590
12 Virginia: 8,185,867
13 Washington: 6,897,012
14 Massachusetts: 6,646,144
15 Arizona: 6,553,255
16 Indiana: 6,537,334
17 Tennessee: 6,456,243
18 Missouri: 6,021,988
19 Maryland: 5,884,563
20 Wisconsin: 5,726,398
21 Minnesota: 5,379,139
22 Colorado: 5,187,582
23 Alabama: 4,822,023
24 South Carolina: 4,723,723
25 Louisiana: 4,601,893
26 Kentucky: 4,380,415
27 Oregon: 3,899,353
28 Oklahoma: 3,814,820
29 Connecticut: 3,590,347
30 Iowa: 3,074,186
31 Mississippi: 2,984,926
32 Arkansas: 2,949,131
33 Kansas: 2,885,905
34 Utah: 2,855,287
35 Nevada: 2,758,931
36 New Mexico: 2,085,538
37 Nebraska: 1,855,525
38 West Virginia: 1,855,413
39 Idaho: 1,595,728
40 Hawaii: 1,392,313
41 Maine: 1,329,192
42 New Hampshire: 1,320,718
43 Rhode Island: 1,050,292
44 Montana: 1,005,141 *Welcome Montana to the million+ club!
45 Delaware: 917,092
46 South Dakota: 833,354
47 Alaska: 731,449
48 North Dakota: 699,628*At the rate ND is growing it may surpass Alaska in the near future!
49 District of Columbia: 632,323
50 Vermont: 626,011
51 Wyoming: 576,412

Ranked by Population change

1 Texas: 427,425
2 California: 357,497
3 Florida: 235,306
4 Georgia: 107,485
5 North Carolina: 100,970
6 Arizona: 85,940
7 Virginia: 81,483
8 Washington: 73,745
9 Colorado: 71,280
10 New York: 68,645
11 Tennessee: 56,456
12 South Carolina: 50,375
13 Maryland: 44,991
14 Utah: 40,940
15 Massachusetts: 39,141
16 Nevada: 38,903
17 Minnesota: 31,840
18 Oregon: 31,124
19 Oklahoma: 30,657
20 New Jersey: 29,817
21 Louisiana: 27,127
22 Indiana: 20,981
23 Pennsylvania: 19,588
24 Alabama: 18,334
25 Wisconsin: 16,555
26 Kansas: 15,519
27 Illinois: 15,503
28 North Dakota: 14,888
29 Hawaii: 14,184
30 Kentucky: 13,601
31 District of Columbia: 13,303
32 Nebraska: 13,291
33 Missouri: 13,004
34 Idaho: 11,984
35 Arkansas: 10,549
36 Iowa: 10,089
37 South Dakota: 9,761
38 Wyoming: 9,056
39 Delaware: 8,955
40 Alaska: 7,589
41 Montana: 7,474
42 Mississippi: 7,469
43 New Mexico: 6,864
44 Michigan: 6,559
45 Connecticut: 3,630
46 Ohio: 3,218
47 New Hampshire: 2,911
48 Maine: 648
49 West Virginia: 505
50 Rhode Island: -354
51 Vermont: -581

Source: US Census Bureau

[ChiSoxRox]

If that continues, it would take a little over four years for North Dakota to catch Alaska, since the gap is 31,800 and North Dakota is gaining 7300 more a year than Alaska.

Florida is less than two years off of New York, and North Carolina is less than two years away from catching Michigan, though, and next year Georgia should top 10 million.

[afiggatt]

Originally Posted by Urbanguy

North Dakota is Nation's Fastest-Growing State Since 2011

North Dakota's total population climbed by 2.17 percent between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012. This is the fastest growth of any state, and nearly three times faster than the nation as a whole, according to Census Bureau state population estimates released today.

Should be noted that the spreadsheet files with the 2012 Census state population numbers can be found here on the Census website.

The Census also has a file listing the estimated 27 month population growth from April 2010 to July, 2012 which provides a longer 2+ year baseline. For the 2+ year period, the fastest growing "state" was DC at 5.1% with 30K new residents. DC also overtook Vermont in total population so it now has more people than Wyoming or VT. The turnaround and growth in DC in the past 5-10 years has been quite impressive. The city and county numbers for 2012 will be interesting to see the city growth/decline trends, but those won't be available for some time.

The Census data also includes Puerto Rico which is showing a notable decline in population, a loss of 27K or -0.7% from 2011 to 2012.

[kingchef]

some of these are pretty surprising, some ho-hum, and some continue toward an apparent loss, as projected by the u.s. census, as the south will contain more than 1/3 of the nation's population. although i didn't take the time to actually count up the projected counts for the southern states, as reflected in the last bit of information, roughly the 2.2+ million gave, of that number, approximately 1.2+ to the official designation of the south, as determined by the department of the interior and the u.s. census bureau.

the texas number is almost unbelievable. first, that the state is obviously able to absorb the number of residents moving there to work and an economy able to absorb the workers arriving. it is really remarkable, as it has gone on almost 45 years or so. at one point in the mid 80's, my brother lived in houston. he studied various stats and demographics, while in his doctoral program. according to information given to them, while measuring inmigration, etc., there was documentation which showed that houston was receiving 4000+ residents per month.

north carolina, virginia, tennessee, south carolina, florida, and georgia posted impressive numbers, too. yet, for all of the doom and gloom naysayers regarding california, texas, new york (although it wasn't proportionally that large, when compared to the size of the state.) nevertheless, they continue to attract large numbers of people.

i was surprised to see the low number of growth for ohio, even though it has received extra special economic assistance from the present administration, as has michigan. i expect to see these numbers continue to drop, as well as others in some of the northeast and midwest. i think washington, oregon, and some of those states will continue to do well. nevada will plunge, when reid is ousted, and he losses his power behind the scene. arizona will be overtaken by tn, and i think that ok will probably be set to shoot past several of the midwest states, imo. still, california, texas, florida are not going to give up their places anytime soon, as people magnets.

i think that w/ all that is happening in northern ms, the memphis metro and all of those huge intermodal buildings and expansions, the connections w/ the nafta interstate, which will interchange through the new memphis intermodal hub, the enormous expansion of the memphis fedex operations, the expansion of the port of memphis, which has already taken over the country's #3 spot from the #4 (the work going on now will increase the port's capacity to position it to become the #1 inland port in north america. the airport developments, expansions, improvements, and increased traffic, upon completion of these upgrades and the traffic increases by o&d passengers, and the marked increase in 24 hour service through increased package delivery, and the completion and connection of the 2nd outer beltway, the opening of the new interstate, and the other interchanges will play a vital role in logistics and transportation, particularly w/ the newest ms river bridge, which will allow for additional truck traffic, in addition to the addition of rail lines across the river. too, even though davidson county-nashville metro is losing its growth edge to rutherford county, about 45 miles away, there is still a good business synergy in the small towns in other counties surrounding the davidson county area. consequently, i think tn will surpass arizona in rank, w/in a two to three year period.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by kingchef

i was surprised to see the low number of growth for ohio, even though it has received extra special economic assistance from the present administration, as has michigan.

To be sure, while a net gain of abouot 6,500 people was a very, very, very modest amount of growth, Michigan is projected to have posted its first net population gain since 2004. It's never going to be what it was, and we're probably going to limp along for some time, but during the deepest drop (2007-2008 period) we lost nearly 55,000 (over 100,000 raw due to out-migration, that year). That we recovered from that even this quickly is nothing short of amazing. Were it not for immigrants, we'd still be posting net losses from native migration.

[TonyAnderson]

Utah will pass Kansas, Arkansas, and Mississippi by 2015 probably. And Iowa shortly after...passing 4 states total by next census.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by kingchef

nevada will plunge, when reid is ousted, and he losses his power behind the scene.

Everything that you said but this was very prescient. This, however, is the biggest load of bull ever even without paying respect to Senator Reid's relative pros and cons.

A state simply does not grow or shrink with regard to which people are its Senators. Period.

[unusualfire]

Originally Posted by kingchef

i was surprised to see the low number of growth for ohio, even though it has received extra special economic assistance from the present administration, as has michigan.

What special economic assistance? Ohio is one of the top job states.

[the urban politician]

Damn, Wisconsin grew by more residents than Illinois?

It must be the Packers...

You also see Indiana, Kansas, and Minnesota growing faster as well.

Indiana and Minnesota I can understand because they have very large and growing metros (Indianpolis and the Twin Cities), although I'm a bit more baffled by Wisconsin and Kansas. The better explanation, though, is that the bad economy, high taxes, and the pension issue are really holding down Illinois right now.

[Unity77]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Damn, Wisconsin grew by more residents than Illinois?

It must be the Packers...

You also see Indiana, Kansas, and Minnesota growing faster as well.

Indiana and Minnesota I can understand because they have very large and growing metros (Indianpolis and the Twin Cities), although I'm a bit more baffled by Wisconsin and Kansas. The better explanation, though, is that the bad economy, high taxes, and the pension issue are really holding down Illinois right now.

A lot of Wisconsin's growth is occurring in its western counties such as Pierce and St. Croix, which are part of the MPLS - STPL metro area.

[mhays]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Everything that you said but this was very prescient. This, however, is the biggest load of bull ever even without paying respect to Senator Reid's relative pros and cons.

A state simply does not grow or shrink with regard to which people are its Senators. Period.

Depends. Did the senator's influence result in outsized federal funding, new industries coming to town, great deals on water and power, etc?

Washington state had this happen in the 80s or so. It had a sizeable effect.

[Thundertubs]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

What special economic assistance? Ohio is one of the top job states.

The auto bailout.

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Damn, Wisconsin grew by more residents than Illinois?

Illinois is a financial train wreck, and it's going to get worse. Too bad as it's my ancestral homeland and one of my favorite states. They've dug a very deep hole, though.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by mhays

Depends. Did the senator's influence result in outsized federal funding, new industries coming to town, great deals on water and power, etc?

Washington state had this happen in the 80s or so. It had a sizeable effect.

There is no causal evidence here, and no political science literature whatsoever even alluding to this possibility. It is a ridiculous assertion.

[mhays]

We can disagree.

[unusualfire]

Originally Posted by Thundertubs

The auto bailout.

Really? That's news to me. Since none of the auto HQ's are in Ohio.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

Really? That's news to me. Since none of the auto HQ's are in Ohio.

He's saying that the auto bailout likely aided Ohio's recovery, given that Ohio is the #2 state for auto manufacturing and overall auto-related employment.

The auto industry doesn't have a particularly high ratio of HQ jobs anyways. GM's World HQ has fewer employees than a typical auto plant.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Thundertubs

Illinois is a financial train wreck, and it's going to get worse. Too bad as it's my ancestral homeland and one of my favorite states. They've dug a very deep hole, though.

^ Sad but true... What a lousy leadership that has run that State for so long...

[unusualfire]

What is he saying? The plants should have closed? Plants did close in Ohio. The auto bail out has been paid back. GM has 10,000 workers in Ohio out of over 5.6 million jobs. It not like what benefits Ohio only benefits Ohio.