Between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, South Carolina grew fastest in percentage terms at +1.5%, ahead of Idaho (+1.4%) and North Carolina (+1.3%). Of the 50 states, 45 gained residents and 5 lost them, while D.C. also grew. California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont and West Virginia recorded population declines. The source reports Vermont at -0.3% and Hawaii at -0.1%. Nationally, population grew 0.5% in 2025.
How fast is each US state growing?
Growth rate is the percentage change over the period: (population on July 1, 2025 minus population on July 1, 2024) divided by the July 1, 2024 population, multiplied by 100. This article reports the top three gainers and two published declines, not a complete 50-state ranking. To rank every state, take each state’s two Census Vintage 2025 estimates and apply the formula above.
Gainers and losers by count
| Group | Number of states | States |
|---|---|---|
| Grew | 45 (plus D.C.) | All except the five below |
| Lost population | 5 | California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont, West Virginia |
Selected state changes, 2024 to 2025
| State | Change | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | +1.5% | Gain |
| Idaho | +1.4% | Gain |
| North Carolina | +1.3% | Gain |
| Hawaii | -0.1% | Loss |
| Vermont | -0.3% | Loss |
The net change as a share of base uses the same calculation. A state at +1.5% gained 1.5 residents for every 100 it had at the start of the period. A state at -0.3% lost 0.3 residents per 100.
Fastest-growing states by percentage
Between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, South Carolina grew fastest in percentage terms at +1.5%, followed by Idaho at +1.4% and North Carolina at +1.3%. Source: NAHB Eye on Housing, citing U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates, published 2026-02-02.
| Rank | State | Growth, July 1 2024 to July 1 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina | +1.5% |
| 2 | Idaho | +1.4% |
| 3 | North Carolina | +1.3% |
Percentage versus absolute growth
A percentage ranking divides each state’s gain by its own base population. An absolute ranking counts the raw number of residents added. The two lists diverge because a given rate applied to a small base produces fewer new residents than the same rate applied to a large one. A state can top the percentage table while adding fewer people than states with lower rates and bigger populations.
Use the percentage ranking to judge how quickly a place is changing relative to its size, for example when assessing demand pressure in a smaller housing market. Use totals to judge scale, such as the volume of new households needing schools or transit.
Small-state swings versus large-state totals
Small states show larger percentage swings for the same number of new residents. Large states move less in percentage terms but carry far more people. The five largest states in 2025 were California (39,355,309), Texas (31,709,821), Florida (23,462,518), New York (20,002,427) and Pennsylvania (13,059,432).
As a reference point, 1% of California’s 2025 population is about 393,553 people. A 1% change in a state of that size therefore represents a much larger absolute shift than a 1.5% change in a state with far fewer residents.
Which states add the most people?
Texas added the most residents of any state between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, with a gain of 391,243 people, according to U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates as reported by NAHB Eye on Housing.
Texas, Florida and North Carolina compared
- Texas ranks first in raw gain at 391,243.
- Florida and North Carolina follow Texas in the source’s ranking. The source gives a single figure of 145,907 alongside Florida and North Carolina. It does not say whether this is a combined total or a figure for each state, so no individual gain is given for either.
Texas’s gain of 391,243 is well above the 145,907 figure the source gives for Florida and North Carolina, although the source does not say whether that figure is combined or per state.
The five largest states by 2025 population
| Rank | State | 2025 population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 39,355,309 |
| 2 | Texas | 31,709,821 |
| 3 | Florida | 23,462,518 |
| 4 | New York | 20,002,427 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 13,059,432 |
Texas and Florida appear in both the largest-population list and the largest-gain list. California is the largest state by population but is not among the gaining states in this dataset, so size alone does not guarantee a gain.
Why large states gain more in raw totals
Large states do not automatically gain more: raw gains depend on migration and natural increase, which the source does not break down by state. California is the largest state but lost population.
Migration swings affect large states more visibly. The NAHB article attributes the 2025 national slowdown mainly to a drop in net international migration, from 2.7 million to 1.3 million, The source gives this drop only at the national level and does not break it down by state.
Which states are losing population?
Between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, five states lost residents: California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont and West Virginia. The U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimates, as reported by NAHB Eye on Housing on 2026-02-02, show that the other 45 states and the District of Columbia grew over the same period. The losses were not the same size, but the source publishes an exact percentage for only two of the five.
States with a published percentage
| State | Population change, 2024–2025 |
|---|---|
| Vermont | −0.3% |
| Hawaii | −0.1% |
Vermont’s decline is the larger of the two in percentage change terms. Hawaii’s is smaller.
States without a published percentage
- California had the largest population of any state in 2025, at 39,355,309 residents. Because of that large base, even a modest percentage loss there could involve a large number of people, but the source gives no figure. The source does not give California’s decline in percent or in residents.
- New Mexico and West Virginia are confirmed as losing states. The source does not give their change in percent or in residents.
How to compare these declines
To estimate the number of residents lost, multiply the percentage by the state’s population at the start of the period. For example, applying −0.3% to a base of 1,000,000 gives a loss of about 3,000 residents. The base figure must come from the Census Bureau’s state tables, not from this summary, since the sheet does not provide the 2024 populations of these states.
Why did growth slow in 2025?
US population growth slowed from nearly 1.0% in 2024 to 0.5% in 2025. According to the NAHB’s Eye on Housing analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, the main driver was a sharp fall in net international migration, the difference between immigrants arriving in the country and emigrants leaving it.
| Indicator | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| US population growth | nearly 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Net international migration | 2.7 million | 1.3 million |
Net international migration accounts for most of the change. The source attributes the slowdown mainly to this drop, so the source presents the halving of that inflow as the main driver of the slowdown.
Total population change combines three components: natural increase (births minus deaths), net international migration, and net domestic migration (people moving between states). The source quantifies only the international component. It does not give separate figures for natural increase or domestic migration in 2024 or 2025, so it is not possible to say from this data how much of the slowdown each of those contributed.
When comparing growth figures across years, check whether a source reports a percentage rate or an absolute count. The 0.5% rate and the 1.3 million migration figure measure different things, and one cannot be converted into the other without the national population base, which is not restated in the same source.
What population growth means for housing costs
Population inflow affects housing costs when newcomers need homes to rent or buy. In US states, this demand shows up through net migration, the number of people arriving minus those leaving. The U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimates, as reported by NAHB, rank states by both percentage and absolute growth between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025:
| State | Population change | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | +1.5% | Fastest growth in percentage terms |
| Idaho | +1.4% | Second fastest in percentage terms |
| North Carolina | +1.3% | Third fastest in percentage terms |
| Texas | +391,243 residents | Largest absolute gain |
Housing permits and price indices are the main proxies for how the market responds. Permits show whether new supply is being authorized as households arrive. Price indices show whether existing-home values are rising faster than the broader market over the same period. The source does not give permit or price figures for any state, so these comparisons require pulling the series for the same states and window.
One hypothesis to test is whether permits keep pace with household growth in high-inflow states, since the supplied data contains no permit or price figures. Checking the timing of permits against the start of inflows shows which pattern applies.
Where to find state-by-state data
The primary source for state population estimates is the U.S. Census Bureau, which publishes its figures as dated vintages. The most recent vintage in this data set is Vintage 2025, which measures change between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025.
Secondary summaries repackage Census numbers for a wider audience. NAHB’s Eye on Housing, dated 2026-02-02, reports state-level changes from the Vintage 2025 estimates and attributes them to the U.S. Census Bureau. It is useful for a quick read, but it does not replace the Census tables when you need the exact figure or want to see how a state’s total was derived.
| Source | Role | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimates | Primary source | Official state population totals and change for July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025 |
| NAHB Eye on Housing (2026-02-02) | Secondary summary citing the Census Bureau | Quick cross-check of Vintage 2025 state changes |
Checking estimate vintages before comparing years
Before combining figures from two sources, confirm the vintage label on each one. Estimates from different vintages can differ because they were produced at different times, so a 2025 figure in one vintage is not guaranteed to match a 2025 figure in another.
- Match the measurement window. Vintage 2025 covers July 1 to July 1, not a calendar year. Label any comparison with those exact dates.
- Keep one vintage per comparison. Calculate growth using two values from the same vintage, not one value from a newer release and one from an older release.
- Cite the vintage in your notes. Record the vintage, the reference dates, and the publisher. This lets a reader trace the number back to the Census release.
Frequently asked questions
How is a state’s population growth rate calculated?
Take the July 1, 2025 population, subtract the July 1, 2024 population, and divide by the July 1, 2024 figure. Multiply by 100 to get a percentage change. A state at +1.5% gained 1.5 residents for every 100 it had at the start of the period.
Which states lost population between 2024 and 2025?
Five states had a population decline: California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont and West Virginia. Only Vermont (-0.3%) and Hawaii (-0.1%) have published rates in this data, so the steepest declines among these five cannot be ranked for the other three.
Does the fastest-growing state also add the most people?
No. The fastest-growing state in percentage terms, South Carolina at +1.5%, is not the state with the largest absolute change. Texas added the most residents, 391,243, and California remains the largest state at 39,355,309 people despite its decline.
