Nevada falls to No. 8 in population growth

By Tim Richardson

Monday, Dec. 22, 2008 | 10:35 a.m.

Nevada has been among the four fastest-growing states in the country for 23 consecutive years, spending many of those years in the top spot. That streak has come to an end.

The U.S. Census Bureau today said the Silver State gained an estimated 45,823 people between July 1, 2007 and July 1 of this year. That's a 1.8 percent increase in population, which ranks Nevada as the eighth fastest-growing state, with 2,600,167 residents.

Utah saw the fastest rate of growth in the past year, with a gain of 67,499 residents, or a 2.5 percent increase. Rounding out the Top 5 were Arizona (2.3 percent), and Texas, North Carolina and Colorado (each at 2 percent), the Census Bureau said.

Texas gained more people than any other state (484,000), followed by California (379,000). The increase brought California's population to 36,756,666.

Nevada maintained its position as the 35th most populous state in the country.

Nevada had a 2.9 percent population increase during the 12 months from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007, which had been its lowest rate of growth this decade. Arizona was the fastest-growing state for one year before that, knocking Nevada out of the top spot after 20 years at No. 1.

For the 12 months ending July 1, six of the 10 fastest-growing states (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming) were in the West, while three were along the south Atlantic coast (Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina). Only two states (Michigan and Rhode Island) lost population.

The U.S. population from July 1, 2007 to July 1 this year increased by 0.9 percent, or an estimated 2,769,392 people. The West was the fastest-growing region of the country (1.4 percent), but the South added the most people (1.4 million).