DELAWARE - Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau has confirmed what many Delaware residents have been noticing - the state is experiencing substantial population growth. Delaware is not only growing but is also one of the fastest-growing states in the nation by percentage.
According to the latest census data, Delaware ranks as the 6th fastest-growing state in the United States when considering population percentage growth.
In the past year, the First State has seen a notable increase, with a growth rate of 1.2 percent. This significant growth has brought Delaware's total population to over one million, specifically 1,031,890 in July 2023. A year prior, that number was 1,019,459. In 2020, Delaware's population was 989,946.
This year’s national population growth is still historically low but is a slight uptick from the 0.4% increase in 2022 and the 0.2% increase in 2021.
“U.S. migration returning to pre-pandemic levels and a drop in deaths are driving the nation’s growth,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Population Division at the Census Bureau. “Although births declined, this was tempered by the near 9% decrease in deaths. Ultimately, fewer deaths paired with rebounding immigration resulted in the nation experiencing its largest population gain since 2018.”
Despite Delaware's remarkable growth, it's important to note that South Carolina has claimed the title of the fastest-growing state in terms of percentage increase. For more on the U.S. Census Data, click here.