Growth slows across U.S. counties as immigration plummets
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The Bottom Line
Population growth is slowing across most U.S. counties due to a sharp drop in immigration.
How This Affects You
Slowing population growth may reduce local tax bases, strain labor markets in key industries, and affect housing demand and construction activity in your region.
AI Summary
U.S. Census data released this week shows population growth has slowed nationwide, with international migration dropping 55% to 1.3 million people between 2024 and 2025 compared to 2.8 million in the prior period. Nine out of 10 counties experienced declines in immigration, hitting large metropolitan areas hardest—Los Angeles County lost nearly 54,000 residents and saw population decline of 0.6% despite remaining the nation's largest county with 9.7 million people. The overall U.S. growth rate fell to 0.5% from 1% previously, as natural change held steady but international migration collapsed. Smaller metros like Ocala, Florida (+3.4%), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (+3.2%), and Spartanburg, South Carolina (+2.8%) posted the fastest growth, suggesting population shifts away from traditional immigration hubs toward secondary markets. Census Bureau demographer George M. Hayward attributed the slowdown in large counties directly to reduced international migration gains offsetting domestic outmigration to other regions.
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