Population growth in the United States slowed significantly in 2025, with the country adding just 1.8 million people, or 0.5%, between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, according to Vintage 2025 population estimates released by the US Census Bureau on Tuesday (January 27).
This is the slowest growth rate since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the population expanded by a record low 0.2% in 2021. The slowdown follows a strong recovery in 2024, when the US population grew by 3.2 million, or 1.0%, the fastest pace since 2006.
A sharp decline in international migration leads to a slowdown
Census officials said the slowdown was mainly due to a historic decline in net international migration, which fell by more than half year over year.
Net international migration fell to 1.3 million between July 2024 and June 2025, down from 2.7 million the previous year — a drop of nearly 54%, according to the Census Bureau.
“With births and death rates remaining relatively stable, the sharp decline in net international migration is the main reason for the slower growth rate we see today,” said Christine Hartley, assistant chief of the Census Bureau’s Estimates and Projections Division.
If current trends continue, net international migration could fall further to around 321,000 by July 2026, the authority said.
The Midwest is showing extensive population gains
Despite the national slowdown, the Midwest emerged as a rare bright spot, becoming the only US region where all states experienced population growth between July 2024 and July 2025.
After a population decline in 2021 and modest growth in 2022, the Midwest added 244,385 people in 2025, following gains in 2023 and 2024. Census officials said positive domestic migration and a slight improvement in natural change helped fuel growth.
“For the first time this decade, the Midwest experienced positive net domestic migration,” said Marc Perry, senior demographer at the Census Bureau.
Ohio and Michigan were key contributors, reversing the large losses from domestic migration seen earlier in the decade.
South Carolina’s fastest growing state
South Carolina was the fastest-growing state in the nation, with its population growing by 1.5%, driven primarily by strong domestic migration. Idaho and North Carolina followed closely behind, while Texas saw solid growth thanks to a combination of natural change and international migration, despite slower inflows.
Regional and state trends
All four US census tracts have seen population growth, but at a slower rate than in recent years. The South’s growth rate fell below 1% for the first time since 2021, while the Northeast saw the steepest slowdown.
Five states—California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont and West Virginia—saw population declines during that period.
