U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Issued March 2011

C2010BR-01

Population Distribution and Change: 

2000 to 2010

2010 Census Briefs

By

Paul Mackun

and

Steven Wilson

(With Thomas Fischetti

and Justyna Goworowska)

INTRODUCTION

The 2010 Census reported 

308.7 million people in the 

United States, a 9.7 percent 

increase from the Census 2000 

population of 281.4 million. 

This report discusses population change between 2000 and 

2010 for several geographic 

levels, including regions, 

states, metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, counties, and places. 

NATIONAL AND 

REGIONAL CHANGE

The increase of 9.7 percent 

over the last decade was lower 

than the 13.2 percent increase 

for the 1990s and comparable 

to the growth during the 1980s 

of 9.8 percent (Figure 1). Since 

1900, only the 1930s experienced a lower growth rate (7.3 

percent) than this past decade.1

From 2000 to 2010, regional 

growth was much faster for the 

South and West (14.3 and 13.8 

percent, respectively) than for 

the Midwest (3.9 percent) and 

Northeast (3.2 percent)

1 References to historical data in the report are 

based on the Census 2000 PHC-T series

<www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000

/briefs/tablist.html>; Frank Hobbs and Nicole Stoops, 

Demographic Trends in the 20th Century, Census 

2000 Special Reports, CENSR-4, U.S. Census Bureau, 

Washington, DC, 2002; and Richard L. Forstall,

Population of States and Counties of the United 

States: 1790 to 1990, U.S. Census Bureau,

Washington, DC, 1996. National historical data calculations before 1960 include Alaska and Hawaii. 

(Table 1, Figure 2). The South grew by 

14.3 million over the decade to 114.6 

million people, while the West increased 

by 8.7 million to reach 71.9 million 

people—surpassing the population of 

the Midwest. The Midwest gained 2.5 

million, increasing that region’s population to 66.9 million, and the Northeast’s 

gain of 1.7 million brought that region’s 

Figure 1.

U.S. Population Change: 1950–1960 to 

2000–2010

Growth (in millions)

Percentage change

(For more information on confidentiality protection, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf)

2000–

2010

1990–

2000

1980–

1990

1970–

1980

1960–

1970

1950–

1960

Note: Change for 1950–1960 includes the populations of Alaska 

and Hawaii in the U.S. total, although they were not U.S. states at 

the time of the 1950 census.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census; Census 2000; Frank 

Hobbs and Nicole Stoops, Demographic Trends in the 20th 

Century, Census 2000 Special Reports, CENSR-4, U.S. Census 

Bureau, Washington, DC, 2002; and Richard L. Forstall, Population 

of States and Counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990, U.S.

Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 1996. 

27.3

9.7

28.0

23.9 23.3 22.2

32.7

18.5

13.3

11.5

9.8

13.2
2 U.S. Census Bureau

population to 55.3 million. Overall, 

the South and West accounted for 

84.4 percent of the U.S. population increase from 2000 to 2010, 

an increase from their 77.0 percent 

share of the total change from 

1990 to 2000. 

STATE-LEVEL CHANGE

Nevada was the fastest-growing 

state between 2000 and 2010, 

growing by 35.1 percent (Table 1). 

It was followed by Arizona (24.6 

percent), Utah (23.8 percent), Idaho 

(21.1 percent), and Texas (20.6 

percent). Rhode Island, Louisiana, 

and Ohio were the slowestincreasing states, all of which grew 

by less than 2.0 percent. Unlike the 

1990s in which every state grew, 

one state (Michigan) declined over 

this decade, losing 0.6 percent 

of its population.2 (Puerto Rico’s 

population declined by 2.2 percent 

to 3.7 million people.) 

Between 2000 and 2010, Texas 

experienced the highest numeric 

increase, up by 4.3 million people. 

California, which had the largest 

population increase in the previous 

decade, increased by 3.4 million 

over the same period; followed 

by Florida (2.8 million), Georgia 

(1.5 million), North Carolina (1.5 

million), and Arizona (1.3 million). 

These six states, which were the 

only states to gain over a million people during the decade, 

accounted for over half (54.0 percent) of the overall increase for the 

United States.

The concentration of high percentage changes among the western 

and southern states maintains a 

pattern from recent decades (Figure 

3). Nevada is the only state that 

has maintained a growth rate of 

25.0 percent or greater for the 

last three decades; it has been 

the fastest-growing state for five 

2 The District of Columbia’s population 

declined between 1990 and 2000.

Table 1.

Population Change for the United States, Regions, States, 

and Puerto Rico: 2000 to 2010

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf)

Area Population Change

2000 2010 Number Percent

        United States � � � � � � � � � 281,421,906 308,745,538 27,323,632 9.7

REGION

Northeast� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 53,594,378 55,317,240 1,722,862 3.2

Midwest � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 64,392,776 66,927,001 2,534,225 3.9

South � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 100,236,820 114,555,744 14,318,924 14.3

West � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 63,197,932 71,945,553 8,747,621 13.8

STATE

Alabama � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,447,100 4,779,736 332,636 7.5

Alaska � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 626,932 710,231 83,299 13.3

Arizona � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,130,632 6,392,017 1,261,385 24.6

Arkansas � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,673,400 2,915,918 242,518 9.1

California � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 33,871,648 37,253,956 3,382,308 10.0

Colorado � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,301,261 5,029,196 727,935 16.9

Connecticut � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3,405,565 3,574,097 168,532 4.9

Delaware � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 783,600 897,934 114,334 14.6

District of Columbia � � � � � � � � � � � � 572,059 601,723 29,664 5.2

Florida � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 15,982,378 18,801,310 2,818,932 17.6

Georgia � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 8,186,453 9,687,653 1,501,200 18.3

Hawaii � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,211,537 1,360,301 148,764 12.3

Idaho � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,293,953 1,567,582 273,629 21.1

Illinois� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 12,419,293 12,830,632 411,339 3.3

Indiana� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 6,080,485 6,483,802 403,317 6.6

Iowa � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,926,324 3,046,355 120,031 4.1

Kansas� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,688,418 2,853,118 164,700 6.1

Kentucky � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,041,769 4,339,367 297,598 7.4

Louisiana � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,468,976 4,533,372 64,396 1.4

Maine� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,274,923 1,328,361 53,438 4.2

Maryland � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,296,486 5,773,552 477,066 9.0

Massachusetts� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 6,349,097 6,547,629 198,532 3.1

Michigan � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 9,938,444 9,883,640 –54,804 –0.6

Minnesota � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,919,479 5,303,925 384,446 7.8

Mississippi � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,844,658 2,967,297 122,639 4.3

Missouri � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,595,211 5,988,927 393,716 7.0

Montana� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 902,195 989,415 87,220 9.7

Nebraska � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,711,263 1,826,341 115,078 6.7

Nevada � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,998,257 2,700,551 702,294 35.1

New Hampshire� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,235,786 1,316,470 80,684 6.5

New Jersey � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 8,414,350 8,791,894 377,544 4.5

New Mexico � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,819,046 2,059,179 240,133 13.2

New York � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 18,976,457 19,378,102 401,645 2.1

North Carolina � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 8,049,313 9,535,483 1,486,170 18.5

North Dakota � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 642,200 672,591 30,391 4.7

Ohio� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 11,353,140 11,536,504 183,364 1.6

Oklahoma � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3,450,654 3,751,351 300,697 8.7

Oregon� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3,421,399 3,831,074 409,675 12.0

Pennsylvania � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 12,281,054 12,702,379 421,325 3.4

Rhode Island � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,048,319 1,052,567 4,248 0.4

South Carolina� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,012,012 4,625,364 613,352 15.3

South Dakota� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 754,844 814,180 59,336 7.9

Tennessee � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,689,283 6,346,105 656,822 11.5

Texas � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 20,851,820 25,145,561 4,293,741 20.6

Utah� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,233,169 2,763,885 530,716 23.8

Vermont � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 608,827 625,741 16,914 2.8

Virginia� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 7,078,515 8,001,024 922,509 13.0

Washington � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,894,121 6,724,540 830,419 14.1

West Virginia � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,808,344 1,852,994 44,650 2.5

Wisconsin � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,363,675 5,686,986 323,311 6.0

Wyoming � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 493,782 563,626 69,844 14.1

Puerto Rico � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3,808,610 3,725,789 –82,821 –2.2

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Census 2000.
U.S. Census Bureau 3

straight decades. Six states, including five in the West, grew by 25.0 

percent or more between 1990 

and 2000. Wyoming, after having lost population between 1980 

and 1990, has grown over the 

past two decades, surpassing the 

national level between 2000 and 

2010. Between 2000 and 2010, the 

District of Columbia experienced its 

first decennial population increase 

since the 1940s, increasing by 5.2 

percent to surpass 600,000 people. 

New Hampshire increased by 

6.5 percent between 2000 and 

2010, the fifth straight decade it 

has grown at a rate faster than 

any other state in the Northeast. 

Whereas New York and New Jersey 

had the largest numeric gains in the 

region in the 1990s, Pennsylvania 

gained the most population in the 

region between 2000 and 2010, 

increasing by 421,000 people.

South Dakota, growing by 7.9

percent between 2000 and 2010, 

was the fastest-growing state in the 

Midwest during this period—

replacing Minnesota, which had 

been the fastest-growing state 

over the previous three decades. 

Illinois and Indiana had the largest 

numeric increases in that region 

over the decade, increasing by 

411,000 and 403,000, respectively.

MOST POPULOUS STATES

The ten most populous states contained 54.0 percent of the U.S. population in 2010 (similar to the percentage in 2000) with one-fourth 

(26.5 percent) of the U.S. population in the three largest states: 

California (the most populous state 

since the 1970 Census), Texas, and 

New York. These three states had 

April 1, 2010, populations of 

Figure 2.

Regions and States: 2010

Region

Northeast

Midwest

South

West

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census.

MT

AK

NM

OR MN

KS

SD

ND

MO

WA

FL

IL IN

WI NY

PA

MI

OH

IA

ME

MA

CT

AZ

HI

NV

TX

CA CO

WY

UT

ID

NE

OK

GA

AR

AL

NC

MS

LA

TN

KY

VA

SC

WV

RI

DE

MD 

DC

NJ

VT NH

Figure 3.

Percentage Change in Population by State and Decade: 

1980–1990 to 2000–2010

Percentage

1980–1990

U.S. change = 9.8

1990–2000

U.S. change = 13.2

2000–2010

U.S. change = 9.7

25.0 or more

10.0 to 24.9

0.0 to 9.9

Less than 0.0

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census, Census 2000, 1990 Census, and 1980 Census.

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf)

DC DC DC
4 U.S. Census Bureau

37.3 million, 25.1 million, and 

19.4 million, respectively. The 

next seven most populous states—

Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio,

Michigan, Georgia, and North

Carolina—contained an additional 

27.5 percent of the population. 

Nine of the ten largest states in 

2000 were also among the ten largest in 2010. North Carolina, which 

was the eleventh largest state in 

2000, moved into the top ten for 

2010 (tenth largest)—replacing 

New Jersey, which fell from ninth 

largest in 2000 to eleventh

in 2010. 

The ten most populous and the 

ten least populous states are distributed among the four regions. 

The South contained the greatest 

number (four) of the ten largest 

states, with three others in the 

Midwest, two in the Northeast, and 

one in the West. Furthermore, the 

Northeast contained four of the ten 

least populous states (Maine, New 

Hampshire, Rhode Island, and

Vermont), with three others in the 

West (Alaska, Montana, and

Wyoming), two in the Midwest 

(North Dakota and South Dakota), 

and one in the South (Delaware).

METROPOLITAN 

AND MICROPOLITAN 

STATISTICAL AREAS

Over four-fifths (83.7 percent) of 

the U.S. population in 2010 lived in 

the nation’s 366 metro areas, and 

another one-tenth (10.0 percent) 

of the population resided in the 

nation’s 576 micro areas (Table 

2). Metro areas grew almost twice 

as fast as micro areas, 10.8 percent compared to 5.9 percent. 

Population growth of at least twice 

the national rate occurred in many 

metro and micro areas, such as 

some areas in parts of California, 

Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Florida, 

and the Carolinas. No metro area in 

the West region declined (Figure 4). 

All ten of the most populous 

metro areas in 2010 grew over the 

decade, with Houston, Atlanta, and 

Dallas-Fort Worth (26.1 percent, 

24.0 percent, and 23.4 percent, 

respectively) the fastest-growing 

among them (Table 3). The Atlanta 

metro area accounted for over 

one-half (54.4 percent) of Georgia’s 

2010 population and over twothirds (68.0 percent) of the state’s 

population growth during the last 

decade. In addition, the Houston 

and Dallas-Fort Worth metro areas 

together accounted for almost 

one-half (49.0 percent) of Texas’ 

population and over one-half (56.9 

percent) of its population growth. 

Two other top-ten metro areas 

experienced double-digit growth: 

Washington, DC (16.4 percent) and 

Miami (11.1 percent). The New 

York metro area, with a population 

of 18.9 million (6.1 percent of the 

U.S. population), and Los Angeles, 

with a population of 12.8 million 

(4.2 percent of the U.S. population), 

were the two most populous metro 

areas in the nation. Combined, 

approximately 1 of every 10 people 

in the United States lived in either 

the New York or Los Angeles metro 

areas in 2010.

Among all 366 metro areas, Palm 

Coast, FL, was the fastest-growing 

between 2000 and 2010 (up 92.0 

percent), followed by St. George, 

UT, (up 52.9 percent), and by three 

Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas—metro and 

micro areas—are geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of 

Management and Budget for use by federal statistical agencies in collecting, tabulating, and publishing federal statistics. Metro and micro 

areas are collectively known as core based statistical areas (CBSAs). A 

metro area contains a core urban area population of 50,000 or more. 

A micro area contains a core urban area population of at least 10,000 

(but less than 50,000). Each metro or micro area consists of one or 

more counties and includes the counties containing the core urban 

area, as well as any adjacent counties that have a high degree of 

social and economic integration (as measured by commuting to work) 

with the urban core.

Table 2.

Population by Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) Status: 2000 and 2010

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf)

Area Population Share of U.S. population Change

2000 2010 2000 2010 Number Percent

        United States � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 281,421,906 308,745,538 100.0 100.0 27,323,632 9.7

Inside CBSA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 262,290,227 289,261,315 93.2 93.7 26,971,088 10.3

Metropolitan � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 233,069,827 258,317,763 82.8 83.7 25,247,936 10.8

Micropolitan � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 29,220,400 30,943,552 10.4 10.0 1,723,152 5.9

Outside CBSA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 19,131,679 19,484,223 6.8 6.3 352,544 1.8

Note: Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas defined by the Office of Management and Budget as of December 2009.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Census 2000.
U.S. Census Bureau 5

other areas with population growth 

rates over 40.0 percent: Las Vegas, 

Raleigh, and Cape Coral (Table 3). 

The ten fastest-growing metro 

areas included both large and small 

metro areas, ranging from three 

areas with 2010 populations of 

more than 1.0 million (Las Vegas, 

Austin, and Raleigh) to one below 

100,000 (Palm Coast, FL). The Las 

Vegas metro area accounted for 

almost three-quarters (72.3 percent) of Nevada’s 2010 population 

and over four-fifths (81.9 percent) 

of the state’s growth. 

Many of the fast-growing micro 

areas were located near fastgrowing metro areas. Likewise, 

many of the micro areas that were 

slow-growing or declining were 

located near slow-growing or 

declining metro areas. 

COUNTIES

Almost two-thirds of the nation’s 

3,143 counties gained population 

between 2000 and 2010. Most 

counties along the Pacific, Atlantic, 

and Gulf Coasts grew between 

2000 and 2010, as did most counties adjacent to the southern U.S. 

border (Figure 5). Furthermore, 

many counties in the South—

such as those in parts of Florida, 

northern Georgia, North Carolina, 

Virginia, and the eastern half of 

Texas—experienced growth at or 

above 10 percent. In the West, all 

counties in Utah experienced population growth in the last decade, 

with some of those gains being 

25 percent or more. Most New 

England counties grew, but most of 

these increased at rates below

10 percent.3

The counties that lost population 

were mostly regionally clustered 

and mirrored decades of population 

loss for those areas; for example, 

many Appalachian counties in 

eastern Kentucky and West Virginia; 

many Great Plains counties in the 

Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, and 

Texas; and a group of counties in 

and around the Mississippi Delta 

saw population declines. In addition, many counties along the Great 

Lakes and on the northern U.S.

3 New England consists of Maine, New 

Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode 

Island, and Connecticut. 

Figure 4.

Percentage Change in Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical

Area Population: 2000 to 2010

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pI94-171.pdf)

Note: Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas defined by the Office of Management and Budget as of December 2009. 

Broomfield County, CO, was formed from parts of Adams, Boulder, Jefferson, and Weld Counties, CO, on November 15, 2001, and 

was coextensive with Broomfield city. For purposes of presenting data for metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, Broomfield 

is treated as if it were a county at the time of Census 2000.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Census 2000.

Percentage change

19.4 or more

9.7 to 19.3

0.0 to 9.6

Less than 0.0

19.4 or more

9.7 to 19.3

0.0 to 9.6

Less than 0.0

Metropolitan

statistical area

Micropolitan

statistical area

U.S. total population

percentage increase: 9.7
6 U.S. Census Bureau

border either lost population or 

grew below 10 percent. 

Some counties in midwestern metro 

areas grew rapidly (50 percent or 

more), even though the surrounding counties grew more slowly or 

declined. Examples include (metro 

area in parentheses): Delaware 

County, OH, (Columbus); Hamilton 

County, IN, (Indianapolis); Kendall 

County, IL, (Chicago), and Dallas 

County, IA, (Des Moines). 

Some counties with the largest 

numeric gains in population contained large cities, such as Phoenix 

and Houston. Some of the largest 

numeric losses also occurred in 

counties containing or coextensive 

with large cities, such as Detroit, 

Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, 

Buffalo, Baltimore, St. Louis, and 

New Orleans. Not surprisingly, 

many of the counties with large 

numeric change were also the ones 

with large populations (Figure 6), 

such as some counties in parts of 

California, Arizona, Texas,

Florida, and in the corridor from 

Boston to Washington, DC. In 

contrast to the many large counties 

found in California, for example, 

the most populous counties in 

states such as Montana,

Wyoming, and the Dakotas were 

much smaller. In fact, none of these 

four states contained a county 

with a 2010 Census population 

of 200,000 or more. Montana and 

South Dakota each possessed only 

two counties with populations of 

100,000 or more; North Dakota 

only contained one; and Wyoming 

did not have any county of that 

population size.

Los Angeles County, CA, with a 

population of 9.8 million, remained 

the most populous county in the 

United States since 1960, followed 

by Cook County, IL, (containing 

Chicago), and Harris County, TX, 

(containing Houston) (Table 4). Nine 

of the ten largest counties grew, led 

by Maricopa County, AZ, (containing Phoenix) and Harris County, TX, 

with rates of 24.2 and 20.3 percent, respectively. Cook County, IL, 

was the exception, declining by

3.4 percent.

In 2010, Maricopa County contained 59.7 percent of Arizona’s 

population and accounted for 

59.1 percent of the state’s growth 

between 2000 and 2010. Large 

counties in other states also 

accounted for large portions of 

their state’s population and growth. 

For example, the two Texas counties (Harris and Dallas) that were 

among the ten largest nationally 

accounted for over one-quarter 

(25.7 percent) of the population of 

the nation’s second-largest state 

and 19.6 percent of its growth. 

As with the largest counties and 

those with the largest numeric 

gains, many of the fastest-growing 

counties with a Census 2000 

population of 10,000 or more were 

Table 3.

Population Change for the Ten Most Populous and Ten Fastest-Growing Metropolitan 

Statistical Areas: 2000 to 2010

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf)

Metropolitan statistical area Population Change

2000 2010 Number Percent

MOST POPULOUS

New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 18,323,002 18,897,109 574,107 3.1

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 12,365,627 12,828,837 463,210 3.7

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 9,098,316 9,461,105 362,789 4.0

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,161,544 6,371,773 1,210,229 23.4

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,687,147 5,965,343 278,196 4.9

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,715,407 5,946,800 1,231,393 26.1

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,796,183 5,582,170 785,987 16.4

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,007,564 5,564,635 557,071 11.1

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,247,981 5,268,860 1,020,879 24.0

Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4,391,344 4,552,402 161,058 3.7

FASTEST-GROWING

Palm Coast, FL � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 49,832 95,696 45,864 92.0

St. George, UT� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 90,354 138,115 47,761 52.9

Las Vegas-Paradise, NV � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,375,765 1,951,269 575,504 41.8

Raleigh-Cary, NC� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 797,071 1,130,490 333,419 41.8

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 440,888 618,754 177,866 40.3

Provo-Orem, UT � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 376,774 526,810 150,036 39.8

Greeley, CO� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 180,926 252,825 71,899 39.7

Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,249,763 1,716,289 466,526 37.3

Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 196,629 269,291 72,662 37.0

Bend, OR� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 115,367 157,733 42,366 36.7

Note: The full names of the metropolitan statistical areas are shown in this table; abbreviated versions of the names are shown in the text.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Census 2000.
U.S. Census Bureau 7

Numeric Change

Figure 5.

Change in Population by County: 2000 to 2010

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Census 2000.

U.S. change: 9.7 percent

Percentage Change

40,000 or more

20,000 to 39,999

10,000 to 19,999

0 to 9,999

–1 to –9,999

Less than –9,999

Number

50.0 or more

25.0 to 49.9

10.0 to 24.9

0.0 to 9.9

–9.9 to –0.0

Less than –9.9

Percentage

Comparable data

not available

Comparable data

not available
8 U.S. Census Bureau 0 100 Miles 0 100 Miles 0 200 Miles 0 100 Miles 0 50 Miles Number of people Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census. The area of each diamond symbol is proportioned to the number of people in a county. The legend presents example symbol sizes from the many symbols shown on the map. (For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf) 10,000,000 5,000,000 1,000,000 100,000 Figure 6. Population Distribution by County: 2010
U.S. Census Bureau 9

in metro areas. Two counties with 

Census 2000 populations of 10,000 

or greater more than doubled their 

populations between 2000 and 

2010 (metro area in parentheses): 

Kendall County, IL, (Chicago) and 

Pinal County, AZ, (Phoenix) (Table 

4). In comparison, three counties 

with 1990 populations of 10,000 

or greater more than doubled 

their populations between 1990 

and 2000: Douglas County, CO, 

(Denver); Forsyth County, GA; and 

Henry County, GA (Atlanta). 

Another six counties in this size 

range experienced growth rates 

between 75 percent and 100 

percent between 2000 and 2010: 

Flagler County, FL, (Palm Coast); 

Lincoln County, SD, (Sioux Falls); 

Loudoun County, VA, (Washington, 

DC); Rockwall County, TX, (DallasFort Worth); Forsyth County, GA, 

(Atlanta); and Sumter County, FL, 

(located in a micro area to the west 

of Orlando). 

Population density for counties 

continued to vary widely across 

the country in 2010 (Figure 7). 

Counties in the Northeast and 

South were generally more densely 

populated than many of the counties in the Midwest and West, which 

contained numerous counties with 

densities lower than 10 people per 

square mile. The highest densities included some of the counties 

along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf 

coasts, some counties adjacent to 

the Great Lakes, and some counties 

in western North Carolina, western South Carolina, and northern 

Georgia, among others. An almost 

unbroken chain of coastal counties 

with population densities of 

300 people per square mile or more 

runs from New Hampshire through 

northern Virginia.

PLACES

In this section, we examine population change from 2000 to 2010 

for incorporated places that had 

populations of 10,000 or more in 

Census 2000. Nine of the ten most 

populous cities gained population 

this past decade (Table 5). Led by 

New York (8.2 million), Los Angeles 

(3.8 million), and Chicago (2.7 million), the six most populous cities 

kept their same rank as in 2000; 

fourth-ranked Houston surpassed 

the 2 million mark during the 

decade. San Antonio—which had 

the largest numeric increase and 

the largest percentage increase 

among the top ten—moved ahead 

of San Diego and Dallas into seventh place, while San Jose replaced 

Detroit as the tenth most populous 

city. Chicago, which had grown 

between 1990 and 2000, was the 

only top-ten city in 2010 to experience decline over the decade 

(–6.9 percent), while Philadelphia’s 

gain between 2000 and 2010 was 

its first decennial gain since the 

1940–1950 period. The seven cities 

that were not only in the top ten in 

both 2000 and 2010, but also grew 

between 1990–2000 and 2000–

2010 (New York, Los Angeles, 

Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, 

San Diego, and Dallas) experienced 

smaller numeric and percentage 

increases between 2000 and 2010 

than they did between 1990 and 

2000.4 Furthermore, the cumulative gain between 2000 and 2010 

for the ten largest cities (including 

the loss for Chicago) was approximately 670,000, which was less 

than the roughly 686,000 gain for 

New York alone from 1990 to 2000.

Of incorporated places with Census 

2000 populations of 10,000 or 

greater, nine of the ten fastestgrowing ones between 2000 and 

4 Philadelphia was in the top ten between 

1990 and 2000 but declined over that 

decade.

Table 4.

Population Change for the Ten Most Populous and Ten 

Fastest-Growing Counties: 2000 to 2010

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf)

County Population Change

2000 2010 Number Percent

MOST POPULOUS

Los Angeles, CA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 9,519,338 9,818,605 299,267 3.1

Cook, IL � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5,376,741 5,194,675 –182,066 –3.4

Harris, TX � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3,400,578 4,092,459 691,881 20.3

Maricopa, AZ � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3,072,149 3,817,117 744,968 24.2

San Diego, CA� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,813,833 3,095,313 281,480 10.0

Orange, CA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,846,289 3,010,232 163,943 5.8

Kings, NY� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,465,326 2,504,700 39,374 1.6

Miami-Dade, FL� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,253,362 2,496,435 243,073 10.8

Dallas, TX � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,218,899 2,368,139 149,240 6.7

Queens, NY� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,229,379 2,230,722 1,343 0.1

FASTEST-GROWING1

Kendall, IL � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 54,544 114,736 60,192 110.4

Pinal, AZ � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 179,727 375,770 196,043 109.1

Flagler, FL � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 49,832 95,696 45,864 92.0

Lincoln, SD � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 24,131 44,828 20,697 85.8

Loudoun, VA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 169,599 312,311 142,712 84.1

Rockwall, TX � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 43,080 78,337 35,257 81.8

Forsyth, GA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 98,407 175,511 77,104 78.4

Sumter, FL� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 53,345 93,420 40,075 75.1

Paulding, GA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 81,678 142,324 60,646 74.3

Henry, GA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 119,341 203,922 84,581 70.9

1

 Among counties with Census 2000 populations of 10,000 or more.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Census 2000.
10 U.S. Census Bureau

2010 were located in either western 

or southern states—one was located 

in the Midwest (Plainfield, IL)—and 

all ten were located in metro areas 

with 2010 Census populations of 1 

million or more (metro area in 

parentheses): Lincoln, CA, 

(Sacramento); Surprise, AZ, and 

Goodyear, AZ, (Phoenix); Frisco, TX, 

and Wylie, TX, (Dallas-Fort Worth); 

Beaumont, CA, (Riverside-San 

Bernardino); Plainfield, IL, (Chicago); 

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY 

(Louisville/Jefferson County); 

Pflugerville, TX, (Austin); and Indian 

Trail, NC, (Charlotte). Six of the 

places more than tripled their 

populations between 2000 and 

2010: Lincoln (282.1 percent); 

Surprise (281.0 percent); Frisco 

(247.0 percent); Goodyear (245.2 

percent); Beaumont (223.9 percent); 

and Plainfield (203.6 percent). The 

next four places grew between 170 

and 190 percent.

METHODOLOGY AND 

SOURCES OF DATA

This report used decennial census 

data primarily for the years 1990, 

2000, and 2010. The population 

universe is the resident population 

of the United States (50 states and 

the District of Columbia) and Puerto 

Rico. All derived values were computed using unrounded data. For 

readability, most whole numbers in 

the text are expressed in millions 

or rounded to the nearest hundred 

or thousand, and percentages are 

rounded to tenths. In the tables, 

whole numbers are unrounded and 

percentages are rounded to the 

nearest tenth. In the maps, data are 

categorized based on unrounded 

percentages. In Figure 5 and the 

tables, numeric and percentage 

change for counties are only calculated for the universe of counties 

that existed in both Census 2000 

and the 2010 Census. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Data for state and local areas from 

the 2010 Census Redistricting Data 

(Public Law 94-171) Summary File

are available on the Internet at 

<http://factfinder2.census

.gov/main.html> and on DVD. For 

more information on confidentiality 

protection, nonsampling error, and 

definitions, see <www.census

.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94

-171.pdf>. For more information on 

metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, including concepts, 

300.0 or more

200.0 to 299.9

100.0 to 199.9

50.0 to 99.9

10.0 to 49.9

Less than 10.0

Average number 

of people

U.S. density: 87.4

Note: Population density expressed as average number of people per square mile of land area.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census. 

Figure 7.

Population Density by County: 2010

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf)
U.S. Census Bureau 11

definitions, reports, and maps, go 

to <www.census.gov

/population/www/metroareas

/metroarea.html>. For more information on historical census data, 

go to <www.census.gov/population

/www/censusdata/hiscendata

.html>.

Information on other population 

and housing topics is presented 

in the 2010 Census Briefs series, 

located on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 

Web site at <www.census.gov

/prod/cen2010/>. This series 

also presents information about 

race, Hispanic origin, age, sex, 

household type, housing tenure, 

and people who reside in group 

quarters. 

If you have questions or need 

additional information, please call 

the Customer Services Center at 

1-800-923-8282. You can also visit 

the Census Bureau’s Question and 

Answer Center at <ask.census.gov> 

to submit your questions online.

Table 5.

Population Change for the Ten Most Populous and Ten 

Fastest-Growing Incorporated Places: 2000 to 2010

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf)

Place Population Change

2000 2010 Number Percent

MOST POPULOUS

New York city, NY� � � � � � � � � � � 8,008,278 8,175,133 166,855 2.1

Los Angeles city, CA � � � � � � � � 3,694,820 3,792,621 97,801 2.6

Chicago city, IL � � � � � � � � � � � � 2,896,016 2,695,598 –200,418 –6.9

Houston city, TX� � � � � � � � � � � � 1,953,631 2,099,451 145,820 7.5

Philadelphia city, PA� � � � � � � � � 1,517,550 1,526,006 8,456 0.6

Phoenix city, AZ� � � � � � � � � � � � 1,321,045 1,445,632 124,587 9.4

San Antonio city, TX � � � � � � � � 1,144,646 1,327,407 182,761 16.0

San Diego city, CA� � � � � � � � � � 1,223,400 1,307,402 84,002 6.9

Dallas city, TX � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1,188,580 1,197,816 9,236 0.8

San Jose city, CA � � � � � � � � � � 894,943 945,942 50,999 5.7

FASTEST-GROWING1

Lincoln city, CA � � � � � � � � � � � � 11,205 42,819 31,614 282.1

Surprise city, AZ � � � � � � � � � � � 30,848 117,517 86,669 281.0

Frisco city, TX � � � � � � � � � � � � � 33,714 116,989 83,275 247.0

Goodyear city, AZ � � � � � � � � � � 18,911 65,275 46,364 245.2

Beaumont city, CA� � � � � � � � � � 11,384 36,877 25,493 223.9

Plainfield village, IL � � � � � � � � � 13,038 39,581 26,543 203.6

Louisville/Jefferson County 

metro government, KY2 � � � � � 256,231 741,096 484,865 189.2

Pflugerville city, TX � � � � � � � � � 16,335 46,936 30,601 187.3

Indian Trail town, NC � � � � � � � � 11,905 33,518 21,613 181.5

Wylie city, TX � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 15,132 41,427 26,295 173.8

1

 Among incorporated places with Census 2000 populations of 10,000 or more.

2

 Louisville city and Jefferson County, Kentucky, formed a consolidated government after Census 

2000. The 2000 population for the incorporated place of Louisville city is before consolidation.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Census 2000.