America’s Fastest-Growing States through 2050
Key Findings - U.S. population is projected to grow about 9% by 2050 - Growth across states is highly uneven: some states will grow rapidly; others will shrink - Top states by absolute and percentage growth (2025-2050): Texas: +8.55M, +27% Florida: +5.15M, +22% California: +3.09M, +8% Washington: +2.25M, +28% Colorado: +1.73M, +29% Utah: +1.23M, +35% (fastest % increase) - Some states are projected to decline; for example, West Virginia is forecast to shrink ~15% - Many states with large current populations (e.g., New York) will see relatively modest growth in both absolute and percentage terms. For instance, New York: +0.82M, +4%
States projected to shrink may face significant fiscal or infrastructure implications (e.g., lower tax base, aging population).
High growth states may face challenges too: infrastructure strain, housing pressure, environmental constraints.
(infographic from Visual Capitalist here https://lnkd.in/giHSpzhX ; data from University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service here https://lnkd.in/gWBuzmwC )