US population in 2021 grows at lowest rate since nation’s founding

By Ovunc Kutlu

ANKARA (AA) - The US population in 2021 grew at its lowest rate since the nation’s founding, according to the Census Bureau Vintage 2021 Population Estimates released Tuesday.

It also marks the first time since 1937 that the population grew by fewer than 2 million people. The slowest rate of growth in the 20th century was from 1918-1919 amid the influenza pandemic and World War I, it said in a statement.

The population grew 392,665, or 0.1%, in 2021 due to a decline in net international migration, decreased fertility and increased mortality, partly a result of the coronavirus pandemic, it said.

"Population growth has been slowing for years because of lower birth rates and decreasing net international migration, all while mortality rates are rising due to the aging of the nation’s population," said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Population Division at the Census Bureau. "Now, with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this combination has resulted in an historically slow pace of growth."

The state of Texas had the largest annual gain, increasing 310,288, or 1.1%. The state of New York saw the largest annual decline, decreasing by 319,020, or 1.6%.

The US population stood a little more than 333 million as of Tuesday, according to the Census Bureau.