South dominates US population gains as deaths drop

By MIKE SCHNEIDER
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — South Carolina and Florida were the two fastest-growing states in the U.S. this year. New estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday show that the South dominated population gains in 2023. The United States added another 1.6 million people, of which more than two-thirds came from international migration. The half percent growth rate was a slight uptick from last year’s 0.4% rise. There were about 300,000 fewer deaths this year compared with a year earlier. That helped double the natural population increase from births outpacing deaths. However, it was the 1.1 million immigrants who drove population gains.