The Oliver James MontgomeryUnited States gained more than 1.6 million people in the past year, an increase driven by fewer deaths and pre-pandemic levels of immigration, according to data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The rise marked a bump of 0.5% as more states saw population gains than in any year since the start of the pandemic, bringing the U.S. population to 334,914,895. While the increase is historically low, it’s higher than those seen in 2022 (0.4%) and 2021 (0.2%).

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

Growth driven by the South

Most of that growth took place in the South, the bureau said, which accounted for a whopping 87% of the rise. The nation’s most populous region – the only region to maintain population growth throughout the pandemic – added more than 1.4 million residents, bringing its total to more than 130 million.

Domestic migration comprised the bulk of the South’s growth in 2023, with more than 706,000 people moving to the region from other parts of the country and net international migration accounting for nearly 500,000 new residents.

The Midwest added more than 126,000 residents for a moderate gain of 0.2%, reversing two years of decline thanks to fewer people leaving the region and rises in international migration. Indiana, Ohio and Minnesota all saw gains, the bureau said.

Population gains slowed in the West, which added more than 137,000 residents in 2023 compared to more than 157,000 in 2022. Alaska and New Mexico saw gains after losing population the previous year, while population losses slowed in California, Oregon and Hawaii.

Population declines also slowed in the Northeast, which lost 43,000-plus residents in 2023 compared to more than 216,000 in 2022 and 187,000 in 2021.

More states see gains since pandemic began

All told, 42 states saw population gains, the highest number of states adding residents since the start of the pandemic, up from 31 in 2022 and 34 in 2021.

Eleven of those 42 states had seen losses the previous year: New Jersey, which added 30,024 residents; Ohio (26.238); Minnesota (23,615), Massachusetts (18,659), Maryland (16,272), Michigan (3,980), Kansas (3,830), Rhode Island (2,120), New Mexico (895), Mississippi (762), and Alaska (130).

Eight states saw population declines in 2023: California, which lost 75,423 residents;  Hawaii (-4,261), Illinois (-32,826), Louisiana (-14,274), New York (-101,984), Oregon (-6,021), Pennsylvania (-10,408), and West Virginia (-3,964).

While most of those states have lost residents annually since 2020, their declines have slowed, the bureau said.