Several large metropolitan counties across the United States gained population or halted population decline in the year ending last July after losing population in the previous 12-month period amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to population estimates released by the US Census Bureau Thursday.
Population change is driven by immigration, both within the United States as people move within the country, and from international trends as people arrive from abroad. It also depends on whether births outnumber deaths, or vice versa.
Here’s a look at the causes of population change in the 10 largest US counties from July 1, 2021, to July 1, 2022.
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Los Angeles County, California
The country’s most populous province lost more than 90,000 residents last year and now has a population of 9.7 million. Los Angeles County gained nearly 34,000 residents from abroad and 18,000 more from births than deaths. But it was not enough to replace the approximately 143,000 residents who left for another county. The loss from Angelenos moving elsewhere was 20% less than it was a year ago.
Cook County, Illinois
Home to Chicago, the nation’s second-largest county lost more than 68,000 residents last year. The population of the Windy City and nearby communities moved away to 94,000 residents. Unlike other major metropolitan counties, Cook County’s population losses from people moving were not significantly lower than the year before. It was the fifth most popular destination for people coming from other countries. The province’s population was 5.1 million last July.
Harris County, Texas
The county of 4.7 million people that includes Houston had the second largest population increase in the country at 45,000 new residents, although 20,000 residents left for other locations. The gain was supported by one of the highest levels of outbound immigration and natural increases in the country.
Maricopa County, Arizona
The largest local immigration boom has been in Phoenix’s home county. Along with strong international immigration and natural increase, Maricopa County has grown with nearly 57,000 new residents and now has a population of 4.5 million.
San Diego County, California
Although San Diego County only gained 1,254 new residents, it was a reversal of a decrease of 11,000 in the previous year. The decline in the number of departing residents, combined with strong international immigration as well as births outpacing deaths, has brought the province to about 3.2 million residents.
Orange County, California
The coastal county south of Los Angeles that is home to Anaheim and Disneyland lost nearly 10,000 people, but it was down less than the previous 12 months due to a jump in international migration. Its population was 3.1 million.
Miami-Dade County, Florida
The county only gained 3,416 new residents last year, but it was a turnaround from a decline of about 30,000 people the year before. Miami-Dade continued to bleed the population but this loss was offset by the largest influx of international migration in the country. Its population was approximately 2.7 million.
Dallas County, Texas
The county of 2.6 million people gained nearly 13,000 new residents after losing nearly double that amount in the previous period. Strong international migration and births that outnumbered deaths helped cope with the departure of 20,000 residents.
Kings County, New York
The county that includes Brooklyn lost nearly 47,000 people, but the decline was about half the size of the previous period. The province of 2.5 million residents has seen a strong natural increase and a respectable amount of international migration, but more than 77,000 residents have left.
Riverside County, California
The Southern California county that is part of the Inland Empire gained more than 20,000 residents last year and now has 2.4 million residents. Most of the growth came from internal migration.
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