National Population Projections

This latest round of national population projections for all 50 states and the District of Columbia provides projected total population, broken down by age and sex, for 2030, 2040, and 2050. These projections are benchmarked to the 2020 Decennial Census and incorporate the U.S. Census Bureau's 2025 Population Estimates to reflect recent demographic trends. The Cooper Center’s projections are widely used across sectors and have been cited by federal agencies, state governments, businesses, non-profit organizations, research institutions, and the media. An evaluation of the 2020 projections demonstrates a high level of accuracy, further reinforcing confidence in their use for planning and analysis.

Citation: University of Virginia, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. (2026). National and 50-State Population Projections. Retrieved from https://coopercenter.org/national-population-projections

National Population Projections Data

• Total Population
• Age and Sex 
• Methodology 

Methodological Notes

Uncertainty and Comparability

Population projections represent one of many possible future outlooks and are inherently subject to uncertainty. They should be interpreted as indicative trends rather than precise forecasts and need to be periodically updated to reflect the ongoing demographic changes. Projections vary across organizations because they rely on different data, assumptions, and methods. As a result, each set of projections reflects a plausible future scenario rather than a definitive prediction. 

Data and Methods

The 2026 vintage of 2030-2050 projections for all 50 states and D.C. is benchmarked to the 2020 Decennial Census and the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2025 Population Estimates. Future demographic changes—such as fertility, mortality, and migration—are implicitly captured in the observed trends and in the Hamilton–Perry method. No explicit assumptions are made regarding future trends in births, deaths, or migration. 

Consistency Across States

A key feature of our dataset is the use of a uniform methodology applied consistently across all 50 states and D.C., enabling direct comparison across states without introducing state-specific assumptions.

Use and Reliability

The Cooper Center has produced multiple vintages of national population projections over the past decades (2013, 2016, 2018, and 2024). These projections have been well-received and widely used by a broad range of organizations, including federal agencies, state legislatures, businesses, non-profits, think tanks, academic institutions, and the media.