The United States population grew at one of its slowest rates in history last year, reaching 331.5 million on July 1 with an increase of only 1.8 million people, according to Census Bureau data released Tuesday. The 0.5 percent growth rate marks the lowest since 2021’s pandemic year. Net immigration plunged more than 50 percent to 1.26 million from 2024’s record 2.73 million under aggressive Trump administration policies.
The census estimates, spanning June 2024 to July 2025, captured both Biden’s border tightening and Trump’s early presidency. Current trends suggest net immigration could fall to 321,000 by June 30, lower than pandemic levels. “This is still over a million people coming in,” said William Frey, chief demographer at the Brookings Institution. Heritage Foundation fellow Simon Hankinson called the figures “an indicator that much of the strategy is working.”
Declining birthrates compounded the slowdown, with births outpacing deaths by only 518,000. Immigration now accounts for 80 percent of population growth, up from 40 percent in 2010-2020. South Carolina emerged as the fastest-growing state while Florida’s growth rate declined sharply. The Midwest saw every state gain population for the first time in a decade.