National Population Trends

So far the 2020s have turned out very differently than any recent decade. The 2023 county population estimates released by the Census Bureau this spring showed that last year migration rose in small towns and rural counties, making them the top destination within the U.S. The 2023 age estimates, which the Census Bureau released over the summer, show that most of the growth that small towns and rural areas have experienced since 2020 is being driven by growth in their population of 25- to 44– year-olds.

Benchmarked on the 2020 Decennial Census Count data, our latest round of National Population Projections provides a look into the demographic future (total population, broken down by age and sex) for all 50 states and the District of Columbia over the next few decades of 2030, 2040, and 2050.