Whitmer’s Michigan Ranked 49th For Population Growth

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Without the addition of migrants, Michigan’s ranking as the tenth most populous state in the country would likely decline more precipitously.

New numbers from the U.S. Census show that while the state lost 67,785 domestic residents, it also saw 164,465 international migrants move in. The addition of international migration saw the Great Lakes State add 96,680 residents between April 1, 2020, and July 1, 2024.

The estimates indicate Michigan’s population stood at nearly 10.08 million on April 1, 2020. The Wolverine State’s population dropped to about 10.04 million in 2021.

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It subsequently increased to more than 10.08 million on July 1, 2023, and more than 10.1 million on July 1, 2024.

But the state is struggling to keep residents. As reported earlier in The Midwesterner, the number of high school graduates in Michigan is projected to plummet 20% by 2041, marking one of the biggest declines in the nation. The number of high school graduates has been in freefall in Michigan for 17 years.

Experts suggest Michigan’s slumping population growth, which ranked 49^th among states since 2020, is tied to state policies such as the repeal of right to work legislation, and an unfriendly business climate.

Additionally, The Midwesterner reported in November that that state’s “income growth is slowing, and unemployment is growing, both signs that Michigan’s economy has been ‘hitting a rough patch recently.’”

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Presuming the state keeps its population steady and depending on other states’ population swings, Michigan will likely maintain its number of representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives and its 13 Electoral College votes following the 2030 Census.

Despite a reduction of 38,340 residents through natural loss —lower birth rates and deaths — Michigan gained 61,121 residents.

According to the American Immigration Council, Michigan had 687,700 immigrant residents in 2022. Immigrants accounted for 6.9% of the state’s population and 8.3% of its labor force, while 3.7% of Michigan’s U.S.-born residents live with at least one immigrant parent.

Neighboring Ohio has also seen its population increase, adding 83,851 residents and growing from nearly 11.8 million on April 1, 2020, to nearly 11.9 million on July 1, 2024.

Nationally, Census officials said net international migration was the “critical demographic component of change” driving the population growth.

The net increase of 2.8 million people was 84% of the nation’s population increase of 3.3 million between 2023 and 2024. It continues a trend of international migration, with a net increase of 1.7 million in 2022 and 2.3 million in 2023.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2024 population estimates, the country’s population grew by about 1% between 2023 and 2024.

The nation’s population has exceeded 340 million, a growth primarily driven by increasing net international migration. In a release, Census officials said the country has experienced the “fastest annual population growth” since 2001 and “a notable increase from the record-low growth rate of 0.2% in 2021.”

“An annual growth rate of 1.0% is higher than what we’ve seen over recent years but well within historical norms,” Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Population Division, said in a release. “What stands out is the diminishing role of natural increase over the last five years, as net international migration has become the primary driver of the nation’s growth.”

Additionally, Census numbers confirmed that the southern United States is the most populous region. Between 2023 and 2024, its population increased by nearly 1.4%, or 1.8 million, to nearly 132.7 million residents.

International migration was the largest contributor, adding 1.1 million people, while natural increases accounted for an additional 218,567 residents. Additionally, the southern region was the only section of the country “with positive net domestic migration,” accounting for the addition of another 411,004 residents.

“Improved integration of federal data sources on immigration has enhanced our estimates methodology,” Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for Estimates and Projections, said in a release. “With this update, we can better understand how the recent increase in international migration is impacting the country’s overall population growth.”