Here Are the Fastest Declining States in America in Terms of Population

But several US states showed declining numbers of population. There are 18 states, to be exact, where population decline occurred. Find out which states have fewer residents and why it happened.

This represents a significant increase compared to the 31 states and the District of Columbia in 2022, and 34 states in 2021.

The South had 1,282,675 new residents thanks to net international migration (414,740) and positive net domestic migration (867,935). Population growth also happened in the West of America, with 153,601 residents added to the region.

The annual number of deaths decreased last year and migration patterns have reverted to patterns recorded before 2020, according to the Vintage 2023 population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

“US migration returning to pre-pandemic levels and a drop in deaths are driving the nation’s growth,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Population Division at the Census Bureau.

“Although births declined, this was tempered by the near 9% decrease in deaths,” Wilder said. “Ultimately, fewer deaths paired with rebounding immigration resulted in the nation experiencing its largest population gain since 2018.”

Florida, on the other hand, held the second place in population increase with 416,754 new residents. The state’s percentage increase of 1.9% was the highest in the country. This is all thanks to net migration.

North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina were among the states that experienced the most population growth in the last year.

Florida and Texas trail behind South Carolina with a 1.6 percent growth rate in 2023.

But a natural decrease also affected US regions and states in 2022, meaning the number of births and deaths in a state impacts the resident’s numbers. Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio had the largest negative natural change of -40,216, -23,021, and -19,543 respectively.

The New York Times reported New York City lost almost 6% of its population, accounting for 550,000 residents, between 2020 and 2023. More than 25,000 residents left the Bronx; over 28,000 residents left Brooklyn; and 26,000-plus residents left Queens. Manhattan was the only borough that added to its numbers. And people also departed from the commuter areas around NYC.

New York, like California, was a state with the highest share of people moving out of it. Many New Yorkers moved to states where housing prices were more affordable, like New Jersey, or warmer, like Florida.

The estimates revealed population change in these states between 2021 and 2022. The decline is shown both with numbers and percentage.

Ohio, Alaska, and Massachusetts only saw a 0.1% decrease in population. Meanwhile, New Mexico and Maryland experienced a 0.2% drop in the number of residents.

The first four states saw a population decline of 0.3%. When stated numerically, California experienced the biggest drop at 113,649 fewer residents. Oregon’s numeric decrease of 16,164 earned its higher decline percentage of 0.4%.

In 2022, the state recorded 1,440,196 residents. This is a lower number from 2021’s 1,447,154. The reason cited for this decline was slow economic growth, with living cost and house pricing increasing.

Sadly, West Virginia’s decline in recent years was seemingly caused by the high number of deaths in the state. The number of dead residents far outpaced the numbers for positive net migration. 

Besides negative net migration, Louisiana also had a high mortality rate. It wasn’t just the pandemic’s fault, but it had gone all the way back to Hurricane Katrina in 2016. 

Domestic migration was said to be the culprit of Illinois’ decline. The number of people moving out of the state kept the narrow margin of more births over deaths and international migrants in check.

Some New Yorkers also felt that the state was no longer a comfortable place to raise a family due to its “lawlessness and protests in transit hubs.” Many citizens also felt neglected under the Democrats’ rule. Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (covering Staten Island and part of Brooklyn) said, “Hardworking, law-abiding citizens are sick and tired of left-wing politicians putting illegal immigrants and criminals ahead of them.”

With 1.6 million more people in the US in 2023 and a total of 334,914,895, there is still enough space in the country for everyone. The question now is where to find the most livable place and be comfortable in it.

Additionally, state population determines how much federal funding states will receive.

California lost a large chunk of its population, which resulted in the state losing two federal seats.

Estimates by the Fair Lines America Foundation–an extension of the Republican Party’s redistricting apparatus–believe that Florida and Texas could be big winners in the 2030 apparatus, gaining three or four seats, respectively (via Politico).

The shift wouldn’t just be regional. It would reflect the political power in the US. Texas and Florida are known to be red states, and more seats could give them the majority of seats in the House and a larger slice of power during elections.

California’s steadily increasing wages and taxes are making it difficult for anyone to stay in the state. While many of California’s wealthiest residents are attempting to leave the state due to the “wealth tax,” the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, is attempting to block them.