- The U.S. population grew at a slower rate in 2021 than in any other year since the founding of the nation, based on historical decennial censuses and annual population estimates.
- The U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2021 Population Estimates released in December show that the population grew only 0.1% and that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the slower growth the country has experienced in recent years.
- Nationally, births were down 4.4%, deaths increased by 11.8% and international migration decreased by 48.7%.
- The year 2021 is the first time since 1937 that the U.S. population grew by fewer than one million people, featuring the lowest numeric growth since at least 1900, when the Census Bureau began annual population estimates.
Decade of U.S. Population Deceleration
January 4, 2022 1 minute read
