The U.S. population saw its most significant growth spurt in over two decades, reaching over 340 million in 2024. This surge is largely attributed to a substantial increase in immigration, according to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report.
The nation's population expanded by nearly 1% between 2023 and 2024, marking the highest growth rate since 2001. This contrasts sharply with the record low of 0.2% growth in 2021, a period heavily influenced by pandemic-related travel restrictions. The Census Bureau highlights a significant influx of nearly 2.8 million people through immigration, partially due to revised counting methods that now include individuals granted entry for humanitarian purposes.
This photo shows migrants at the southern border encountered in Arizona. (U.S. Border Patrol)
Net international migration – defined by the Census Bureau as any change of residence across U.S. borders – played a pivotal role in this population growth, accounting for 84% of the overall 3.3 million person increase in 2024. This trend builds upon the rising international migration observed in previous years, with net increases of 1.7 million in 2022 and 2.3 million in 2023.
Improved data integration methods have allowed for a more accurate understanding of immigration's impact on population growth, according to Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for Estimates and Projections at the Census Bureau.
While births still outpaced deaths by nearly 519,000 last year – an improvement over the historic low of 146,000 in 2021 – this figure remains significantly below the levels seen in prior decades.
A Haitian migrant approved for humanitarian parole cheers as he boards a bus taking migrants into the U.S. at the Senda de Vida shelter Aug. 30, 2022, in Reynosa, Mexico. (Michael Nigro/Getty Images)
Regionally, the South experienced the fastest growth, adding 1.8 million people, exceeding the combined growth of all other regions. Texas led the way with 562,941 new residents, followed by Florida with 467,347. Washington, D.C., boasted the highest growth rate at 2.2%. Conversely, Mississippi, Vermont, and West Virginia experienced minor population declines.
Migrants wait in line to enter a shelter set up by authorities for migrants as migrants wait for an appointment through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, May 23, 2023. (Christian Torres Chavez/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The inclusion of individuals admitted under the Biden administration's humanitarian parole program in the immigration figures has drawn criticism, particularly from Republicans. The Migration Policy Institute reports that over 5.8 million people were admitted under various humanitarian policies between 2021 and 2024. Accurately tracking immigration numbers remains a complex task, with discrepancies between estimates from different federal agencies. The Census Bureau's revised methodology has significantly increased their immigration estimates for recent years, reflecting the ongoing challenges in capturing this dynamic data.
