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Report: North Carolina's Population Is On The Rise

An analysis by research center Carolina Demography shows 86% of North Carolina's new residents moved from other states, the rest from other countries. PATRICK SEMANSKY/AP

More than 360,000 people moved to North Carolina in 2019, according to new estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

An analysis by research center Carolina Demography shows 86% of the new residents moved from other states, and the rest from other countries. 

More than half came from just nine states, including New York, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Many have North Carolina ties – one in six were born in the state. 

Among the international newcomers, the most popular countries of origin include Honduras, Mexico, Japan and China.

For decades, the majority of the state's population growth has come from net migration, meaning more people moved here than left. 

The latest estimates suggest about 70% of North Carolina's growth from 2010 to 2020 can be attributed to that. The remaining 30% is considered a natural increase, or growth that comes from births exceeding deaths. 

April Laissle is a senior reporter and editor at WFDD. Her work has been featured on several national news programs and recognized by the Public Media Journalists Association and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Before joining WFDD in 2019, she worked at public radio stations in Ohio and California.

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