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U.S. States and Territories by Population
The United States, officially the United States of America (U.S. or U.S.A.), is a country in North America and a federal republic of 50 states. In addition to the 48 contiguous states located in the central part of the continent, the U.S. includes Alaska in the northwest of North America and Hawaii, an island state in the mid-Pacific Ocean.
The United States also administers five permanently inhabited territories: Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea; Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands in the North Pacific Ocean; and American Samoa in the South Pacific Ocean.
Read more about ancestry and ethnic origins in the United States
State-Wise Population of the United States
The United States is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, one federal district (the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.), five permanently inhabited territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands), along with several uninhabited island possessions.
According to recent population trends, 2023 marked the strongest state-level population growth since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 42 states and the District of Columbia recorded population increases, compared to 31 states in 2022 and 34 states in 2021, reflecting a broad-based recovery in domestic migration and natural population growth.
Population of the 50 U.S. States and the Federal District
| # | States | Population 2020 Census | Population (2024) |
| California | 39,555,674 | 39,431,263 | |
| 2 | Texas | 29,149,458 | 31,290,831 |
| 3 | Florida | 21,538,192 | 23,372,215 |
| 4 | New York (state) | 20,203,772 | 19,867,248 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 13,002,909 | 13,078,751 |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,821,814 | 12,710,158 |
| 7 | Ohio | 11,799,453 | 11,883,304 |
| 8 | Georgia | 10,713,755 | 11,180,878 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 10,441,499 | 11,046,024 |
| 10 | Michigan | 10,079,338 | 10,140,459 |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,289,014 | 9,500,851 |
| 12 | Virginia | 8,631,388 | 8,811,195 |
| 13 | Washington (state) | 7,707,586 | 7,958,180 |
| 14 | Arizona | 7,158,110 | 7,582,384 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 6,912,347 | 7,227,750 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 7,033,132 | 7,136,171 |
| 17 | Indiana | 6,786,587 | 6,924,275 |
| 18 | Maryland | 6,181,629 | 6,263,220 |
| 19 | Missouri | 6,154,854 | 6,245,466 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 5,894,170 | 5,960,975 |
| 21 | Colorado | 5,775,324 | 5,957,493 |
| 22 | Minnesota | 5,706,692 | 5,793,151 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 5,118,252 | 5,478,831 |
| 24 | Alabama | 5,025,369 | 5,157,699 |
| 25 | Louisiana | 4,657,874 | 4,597,740 |
| 26 | Kentucky | 4,506,302 | 4,588,372 |
| 27 | Oregon | 4,237,224 | 4,272,371 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | 3,959,405 | 4,095,393 |
| 29 | Connecticut | 3,607,701 | 3,675,069 |
| 30 | Utah | 3,271,608 | 3,503,613 |
| 31 | Nevada | 3,105,595 | 3,267,467 |
| 32 | Iowa | 3,190,546 | 3,241,488 |
| 33 | Arkansas | 3,011,553 | 3,088,354 |
| 34 | Kansas | 2,937,745 | 2,970,606 |
| 35 | Mississippi | 2,961,278 | 2,943,045 |
| 36 | New Mexico | 2,117,555 | 2,130,256 |
| 37 | Nebraska | 1,961,996 | 2,005,465 |
| 38 | Idaho | 1,839,140 | 2,001,619 |
| 39 | West Virginia | 1,793,736 | 1,769,979 |
| 40 | Hawaii | 1,455,252 | 1,446,146 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | 1,377,546 | 1,409,032 |
| 42 | Maine | 1,363,196 | 1,405,012 |
| 43 | Montana | 1,084,216 | 1,137,233 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | 1,097,354 | 1,112,308 |
| 45 | Delaware | 989,955 | 1,051,917 |
| 46 | South Dakota | 886,729 | 924,669 |
| 47 | North Dakota | 779,046 | 796,568 |
| 48 | Alaska | 733,395 | 740,133 |
| 49 | Vermont | 643,082 | 648,493 |
| 50 | Wyoming | 576,844 | 587,618 |
| 51 | Washington DC – District of Columbia | 689,545 | 702,250 |
Source: 2020 United States Census & 2024 Estimates
Population of Unincorporated U.S. Territories
The United States has five unincorporated overseas territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. These territories are not part of any U.S. state but fall under U.S. jurisdiction. Below is their population based on the 2020 United States Census.
Population of U.S. Territories (2020 Census)
| # | Territories | 2020 Population |
| 1 | Puerto Rico | 3,285,874 |
| 2 | Guam | 168,485 |
| 3 | U.S. Virgin Islands | 106,235 |
| 4 | American Samoa | 49,437 |
| 5 | Northern Mariana Islands | 51,433 |
Most Populated States in the United States
The five most populous U.S. states are California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania. Together, the top 10 most populated states account for about 54% of the total U.S. population, highlighting how population is concentrated in a relatively small number of states.
Among the top 10 states, Texas recorded the fastest population growth between 2020 and 2024, with an increase of about 15.9%, followed by Florida (14.6%). In contrast, Michigan, with growth of just around 2%, slipped from 8th to 10th place during this period.
Population distribution across the 50 U.S. states is uneven. States along the West Coast, East Coast, and in the South tend to have higher populations, while many interior states, particularly in the Great Plains and Midwest, remain less populous. Notable exceptions include Illinois, which maintains a large population primarily due to the Chicago metropolitan area.
California remains the most populous state in the country, with nearly 40 million residents, accounting for around 12% of the total U.S. population. It is followed by Texas, and then Florida, which has continued to grow rapidly and moved ahead of New York to become the third most populous state by 2020.
New York ranks fourth, with roughly half of its population residing in New York City. States in New England, although smaller in land area, generally have relatively high population densities.
Top 10 Most Populated U.S. States
| # | States | Population 2020 Census | Population ( 2024) |
| 1 | California | 39,555,674 | 39,431,263 |
| 2 | Texas | 29,149,458 | 31,290,831 |
| 3 | Florida | 21,538,192 | 23,372,215 |
| 4 | New York (state) | 20,203,772 | 19,867,248 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 13,002,909 | 13,078,751 |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,821,814 | 12,710,158 |
| 7 | Ohio | 11,799,453 | 11,883,304 |
| 8 | Georgia | 10,713,755 | 11,180,878 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 10,441,499 | 11,046,024 |
| 10 | Michigan | 10,079,338 | 10,140,459 |
Source: 2020 United States Census & 2024 Census Estimates
read about Top US Cities by Population
Least Populated States in the United States
Wyoming is the least populous U.S. state, followed by Vermont and Alaska. Collectively, the 10 least populated states account for only about 3% of the total U.S. population, while the 20 least populous states together make up roughly 10%, highlighting the uneven distribution of population across the country.
Wyoming has fewer than 600,000 residents and has experienced minimal population growth in recent years. Other states that have seen population decline or stagnation during the 2020–2024 period include Louisiana, Connecticut, Kansas, West Virginia, Hawaii, and Alaska. Notably, despite being home to major metropolitan areas, both New York and Illinois have recorded overall population declines.
While some states are losing population, most U.S. states continue to grow. Among the smaller states, Idaho has recorded one of the highest growth rates, followed by Nevada and Arizona, driven largely by domestic migration and housing availability.
Rhode Island, although the smallest state by land area, has a higher population than several much larger states, including Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming. In contrast, Montana, despite its vast landmass, has a population only slightly above one million, illustrating the wide variation in population density across states.
Least Populated U.S. States (2024 Estimates)
| # | States | Population 2020 Census | Population (2024) |
| 50 | Wyoming | 576,844 | 587,618 |
| 49 | Vermont | 643,082 | 648,493 |
| 48 | Alaska | 733,395 | 740,133 |
| 47 | North Dakota | 779,046 | 796,568 |
| 46 | South Dakota | 886,729 | 924,669 |
| 45 | Delaware | 989,955 | 1,051,917 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | 1,097,354 | 1,112,308 |
| 43 | Montana | 1,084,216 | 1,137,233 |
| 42 | Maine | 1,363,196 | 1,405,012 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | 1,377,546 | 1,409,032 |
| 40 | Hawaii | 1,455,252 | 1,446,146 |
Read about List of Counties in the United States
Top U.S. States by Population Growth Rate
Between 2020 and 2024, population growth in the United States was driven largely by Southern and Western states. Texas recorded the largest numeric population increase in the country, adding over 2.14 million residents, followed by Florida, which gained approximately 1.83 million people.
In percentage terms, Idaho and Florida were the fastest-growing states during this period, with population increases of 8.83% and 8.52%, respectively. These growth trends were fueled by domestic migration, employment opportunities, and relatively lower housing costs compared to some coastal states.
Top 10 U.S. States by Numeric Population Growth (2020–2024)
| # | States | Population 2020 Census | Population (2024) | Numeric Growth |
| 1 | Texas | 29,149,458 | 31,290,831 | 2,141,373 |
| 2 | Florida | 21,538,192 | 23,372,215 | 1,834,023 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 10,441,499 | 11,046,024 | 604,525 |
| 4 | Georgia | 10,713,755 | 11,180,878 | 467,123 |
| 5 | Arizona | 7,158,110 | 7,582,384 | 424,274 |
| 6 | South Carolina | 5,118,252 | 5,478,831 | 360,579 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 6,912,347 | 7,227,750 | 315,403 |
| 8 | Washington (state) | 7,707,586 | 7,958,180 | 250,594 |
| 9 | Utah | 3,271,608 | 3,503,613 | 232,005 |
| 10 | New Jersey | 9,289,014 | 9,500,851 | 211,837 |
Top 10 U.S. States by Percentage Population Growth (2020–2024)
| # | States | Population 2020 Census | Population (2024) | Growth Rate |
| 1 | Idaho | 1,839,140 | 2,001,619 | 8.83 |
| 2 | Florida | 21,538,192 | 23,372,215 | 8.52 |
| 3 | Texas | 29,149,458 | 31,290,831 | 7.35 |
| 4 | Utah | 3,271,608 | 3,503,613 | 7.09 |
| 5 | South Carolina | 5,118,252 | 5,478,831 | 7.04 |
| 6 | Delaware | 989,955 | 1,051,917 | 6.26 |
| 7 | Arizona | 7,158,110 | 7,582,384 | 5.93 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 10,441,499 | 11,046,024 | 5.79 |
| 9 | Nevada | 3,105,595 | 3,267,467 | 5.21 |
| 10 | Montana | 1,084,216 | 1,137,233 | 4.89 |
U.S. States by Population Decline (2020–2024)
While most states experienced growth, seven U.S. states recorded population declines between 2020 and 2024. These states were New York, California, Illinois, Louisiana, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Hawaii.
Collectively, these states lost a total of approximately 684,000 residents during the period. The largest numeric declines were observed in New York, followed by California and Illinois, reflecting shifts in domestic migration and changing economic conditions.
Conclusion
The population distribution of the United States reflects clear regional patterns shaped by migration, economic opportunity, and geographic factors. While large states such as California, Texas, and Florida continue to dominate in total population, recent growth has been strongest in the South and West, particularly in states like Texas, Florida, Idaho, and Arizona. At the same time, several traditionally populous states, including New York and California, have experienced population declines. Overall, the latest 2024 Census estimates highlight a continuing shift in where Americans live, underscoring long-term demographic trends that are reshaping the population landscape of U.S. states and territories.
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