People usually think of the map as a static thing, but it’s actually breathing. It’s moving. If you look at a list of us state populations, you aren't just seeing numbers; you are seeing where the jobs are going, where the houses are too expensive, and where people are deciding to raise their kids.
As of January 2026, the United States is hovering around 349 million people. It's a massive number. But the growth isn't happening everywhere. Honestly, it’s getting a bit lopsided. While some states are basically bursting at the seams, others are struggling just to keep the lights on in their rural towns.
What a list of us state populations tells us about 2026
The big story this year is migration. Forget about birth rates for a second—they're actually pretty low across the board. The real movement is coming from people packing up U-Hauls and crossing state lines. Texas and Florida are still the heavy hitters. They’ve been dominating the charts for years, and 2026 is no different.
California remains the most populous state by a long shot, with over 39.4 million residents. However, its growth has been sluggish compared to the 1990s boom. Texas is chasing them down with roughly 31.3 million people. If you look at the gap, it's shrinking. Florida is firmly in third place, cruising past 23.3 million.
New York is still big—around 19.8 million—but it's been a rough few years for the Empire State. People are leaving. They’re heading south for the sun and the lack of state income tax. It's a trend that experts like those at the U.S. Census Bureau have been tracking closely since the 2020 Decennial Census.
The Top 10 Heavyweights
- California: 39,431,263
- Texas: 31,290,831
- Florida: 23,372,215
- New York: 19,867,248
- Pennsylvania: 13,078,751
- Illinois: 12,710,158
- Ohio: 11,883,304
- Georgia: 11,180,878
- North Carolina: 11,046,024
- Michigan: 10,140,459
That top ten list is remarkably stable, but the numbers inside the rankings tell a different tale. Georgia and North Carolina are the rising stars here. They’re both seeing massive influxes of tech workers and young families who can’t afford Northern Virginia or New Jersey anymore.
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Why some states are suddenly "cool" again
It’s not just about the giants. Look at Utah or Idaho. These states have been among the fastest-growing by percentage for the last several years. Utah, with a population near 3.5 million, is a magnet for the outdoor-loving tech crowd.
Then there’s Arkansas. You might not think of it as a migration hub, but the 2025 Atlas Van Lines Migration Patterns Study actually put it at the top for inbound moves. Why? Northwest Arkansas—home to Walmart and Tyson Foods—is becoming a corporate powerhouse. It's affordable. It's green. People are noticing.
The middle of the pack (The "Quiet" States)
New Jersey is sitting at about 9.5 million. It’s dense. It’s expensive. But it’s growing again because people want to be near the cultural hub of New York without living in the city. Virginia is close behind at 8.8 million, followed by Washington state at 7.9 million.
Arizona is an interesting case. It has about 7.5 million people now. The heat is intense, sure, but the jobs in Phoenix are drawing people from all over the West Coast. It’s become a "secondary" hub for the semiconductor industry, which keeps the population floor high even when the housing market gets shaky.
The states that are actually shrinking
It’s not all sunshine and moving vans. West Virginia has been the poster child for population decline for a while. As of the latest 2025/2026 data, it's still losing residents, though the pace has slowed to a crawl—it lost just about 92 people net in a single recent year.
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Mississippi and Vermont are also seeing slight dips. In Vermont, it’s an aging issue. The state has a high median age, and there just aren't enough young people moving in to replace the ones who are passing away or moving for career opportunities.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently released a report suggesting that by 2030, the entire U.S. might face a situation where deaths outpace births. If that happens, the only thing keeping the list of us state populations in the "plus" column will be international migration. We're already seeing this in the Northeast and the Midwest, where immigrants are often the only reason certain cities aren't losing their tax base.
Smallest States by Population
- Wyoming: 587,618
- Vermont: 648,493
- District of Columbia: 702,250 (Not a state, but always included in these counts)
- Alaska: 740,133
- North Dakota: 796,568
Wyoming remains the least populous state. It’s beautiful, sure, but it’s tough to build a massive population when the terrain and the economy are so specialized.
Surprising facts about the 2026 data
Did you know that only two states are actually getting "younger"? According to recent studies, Iowa and South Carolina saw an increase in the proportion of children under five. Everywhere else, the population is getting grayer.
New Hampshire is aging the fastest. People love to retire there because of the lack of sales tax, but that means the average age is skyrocketing. This creates a weird economic tension: you have plenty of wealthy retirees, but not enough baristas, nurses, or mechanics to serve them.
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Another shocker? South Dakota and North Dakota. We think of them as empty, but North Dakota has had a long-term growth rate of about 1.21% thanks to the oil industry. It’s not just about the weather; it’s about the paycheck.
What happens next?
If you are looking at a list of us state populations because you are planning a move or starting a business, the trend is clear: follow the sun and the affordability. The "Sun Belt" (Florida, Texas, Arizona, the Carolinas) is where the momentum is.
However, don't sleep on the "Rust Belt" recovery. States like Ohio and Michigan are stabilizing. They have water—something the West is worried about—and they have infrastructure. As climate concerns grow, those Great Lakes states might start looking a lot more attractive.
Actionable Insights:
- For Business Owners: Look at North Carolina and Georgia. The population density is hitting a "Goldilocks" zone—enough people to support a business, but not so many that the overhead is impossible.
- For Homebuyers: If you want growth potential, Arkansas and Idaho are the sleeper hits. The secret is out, but there’s still room to get in before prices hit California levels.
- For Job Seekers: Texas and Florida remain the land of opportunity, but watch out for the cost of insurance and climate-related expenses which are starting to eat into those "no state tax" savings.
The numbers don't lie, but they do change. Keeping an eye on these shifts is the only way to stay ahead of where the country is going. Stay informed by checking the annual Census updates every December—that's when the "Vintage" estimates usually drop and the map gets redrawn all over again.