New census data shows the Tar Heel State among the top in the nation for population growth last year. Since July 2021, North Carolina increased by just over 133,000 people, making it the third largest-gaining state in the country behind only Texas and Florida.
Contributors to growth for states include natural population decreases, natural increases — births outpacing deaths — and international migration. But the largest gains in North Carolina, roughly three quarters, came from a rise in domestic migration. That’s the population movement within the U.S., meaning nearly 100,000 more people moved into the state than moved out.
Later this year, the Census Bureau will release county, city, and town population projections for 2022, along with estimates by age, race, sex, and Hispanic origin.