The U.S. Census Bureau's latest Vintage 2025 estimates reveal the South continues to lead the nation in population growth, with gains observed across every age group. This growth, primarily fueled by outlying metro counties, has seen all age groups in the South expand faster than in any other region between 2020 and 2025.
While many counties nationwide experienced slower growth in the past year, those in the South were less impacted. The region has consistently accounted for most of the nation’s fastest-growing counties every year since 2020, according to the new data released last week for all U.S. and Puerto Rico counties.
Separately, new data on fertility rates indicate a national decline nearly every year since 2007. However, this overall trend masks substantial geographic variation, with fertility rates differing widely across U.S. counties and even within individual states.