United States Posts Slowest Rate of Population Growth Since 1940

US Population Grew 9.7% Between 2000 and 2010

The US Census Bureau announced earlier today that the resident population of the United States as of April 1st, 2010 was 308,745,538.

From 2000 to 2010, the United States posted the lowest rate of change in its population since 1940. The total resident population of the United States grew 9.7% from 2000 to 2010 (281,421,906 to 308,745,538 people), which was the lowest such percentage change since 1940 (123,202,660 to 132,165,129, or 7.3%).

Here are the rates of change since 1910:

1910 - 21.0%
1920 - 15.0%
1930 - 16.2%
1940 - 7.3%
1950 - 14.5%
1960 - 18.5%
1970 - 13.3%
1980 - 11.5%
1990 - 9.8%
2000 - 13.2%
2010 - 9.7%

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According to the Census Bureau, the South (14.3%) and West (13.8%) posted the highest rates of change in their populations from 2000 to 2010.

Nevada (35.1%) managed to post the largest increase in its population (as a %) since 2000, while Michigan's population actually fell by 0.6%. Michigan was the only state to actually post a drop in its population since 2000.

The state that gained the most people from 2000 to 2010 was Texas, as the rapidly growing state managed to add 4,293,741 people to finish with a total population of 25,145,561.

California was the most populous state as of April 1st, 2010 (37,253,956), while Wyoming was the least populous (563,626).

The different rates of population growth throughout the country also had political implications as well. Apportionment is the process of dividing the 435 seats in the House of Representatives among the 50 states based on the population figures collected during the decennial census. In 2010, a total of 12 seats were reassigned, with Texas gaining a whopping 4 new US House seats. States such as Florida (+2), Washington (+1) and Arizona (+1) were amongst those that also gained seats as a result of apportionment. Seats were lost in states such as New York (-2), Ohio (-2) and Michigan (-1). As you can probably tell, the seat changes in 2010 definitely favored the Republican party.