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Special Report

The State Where Population Has Grown the Most Since the Pandemic

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By Douglas A. McIntyre Published
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The State Where Population Has Grown the Most Since the Pandemic

© David Sacks / DigitalVision via Getty Images

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

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

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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

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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

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

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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

Dubuque Iowa by Dirk DBQ
Dubuque Iowa (CC BY 2.0) by Dirk DBQ

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

Photo of Douglas A. McIntyre
About the Author Douglas A. McIntyre →

Douglas A. McIntyre is the co-founder, chief executive officer and editor in chief of 24/7 Wall St. and 24/7 Tempo. He has held these jobs since 2006.

McIntyre has written thousands of articles for 24/7 Wall St. He is an expert on corporate finance, the automotive industry, media companies and international finance. He has edited articles on national demographics, sports, personal income and travel.

His work has been quoted or mentioned in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, Time, The New Yorker, HuffPost USA Today, Business Insider, Yahoo, AOL, MarketWatch, The Atlantic, Bloomberg, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, The Guardian and many other major publications. McIntyre has been a guest on CNBC, the BBC and television and radio stations across the country.

A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College, McIntyre also was president of The Harvard Advocate. Founded in 1866, the Advocate is the oldest college publication in the United States.

TheStreet.com, Comps.com and Edgar Online are some of the public companies for which McIntyre served on the board of directors. He was a Vicinity Corporation board member when the company was sold to Microsoft in 2002. He served on the audit committees of some of these companies.

McIntyre has been the CEO of FutureSource, a provider of trading terminals and news to commodities and futures traders. He was president of Switchboard, the online phone directory company. He served as chairman and CEO of On2 Technologies, the video compression company that provided video compression software for Adobe’s Flash. Google bought On2 in 2009.

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