U.S. Population Statistics for 2023 (Year, Race, Age, Ethnicity, & more)

Last Updated: 18.05.2023

Rinas Bullatovci

Sr. Content Editor

Key Takeaways: May 2023 Data

✓ As of May 2023, the population of the United States stands at 339,996,563 or 340 million, which represents a 0.5% increase from the previous year, 2022. (Macrotrends)

✓ The United States population constitutes 4.52% of the world's total population, equating to approximately one resident of the U.S. for every 22 people on the planet. (Tradingeconomics)

✓ California had the largest resident population among all the states in the United States, with 39.03 million people. (Statista)

✓ Wyoming had the smallest population with approximately 581,000 residents. (Statista)

✓ The foreign-born population in the United States reached nearly 48 million in May 2023, a rise of 2.9 million since the beginning of the Biden administration. (CenterforImmigrationStudies)

✓ In the United States, the Black population is estimated to be 49.6 million, representing 14.9% of the total population. (BlackDemographics)

✓ According to the United Nations, the global population hit the 8 billion mark on May 2023. (Worldometers)

Section 01

Current Population Growth in the U.S.

Section 02

Population Statistics by State

Section 03

Population Statistics by City

Section 04

Population Demographics

Section 05

Immigration Statistics

Section 05

Population Projections

Section

01

Current Population Growth in the U.S.

The US population is expected to keep growing, unlike China and India. By 2067, it could reach over 400 million people. Recent data confirms the steady increase in population.

As of Thursday, February 2, 2023, the population of the United States of America has grown to 336,009,770.

This represents a 0.5% increase from the previous year, according to an analysis of the most recent United Nations data by Worldometer.

The United States of America is the third largest country behind China (1.39 billion) and India (1.31 billion).

The population density in the United States is 36 per Km2. The land area covers a total of 9,147,420 Km2 (3,531,837 sq. miles).

Approximately 4.25% of the global population resides in the United States, making it the third most populated country in the world.

In the U.S., a birth occurs every 8 seconds and a death occurs every 11 seconds.

There are approximately 10,254 births and 7,974 deaths each day.

273,975,139 people, or 82.8% of the population are living in urban areas.

The life expectancy at birth for both sexes is 79.11 years.

There were 4,221,355 live births.

There were also 2,760,632 deaths, resulting in a natural increase of 1,460,723 people.

The population also saw an increase of 1,062,039 people due to net migration.

As of December 31st, 2022, there were 166,639,937 males and 170,911,003 females.

In the United States, the rate of infant deaths per 1,000 live births is 5.5.

In addition, there are 7 deaths per 1,000 live births among children under the age of five.

There are 166,752,233 males compared to 171,026,178 females, resulting in a ratio of 0.98.

99.0% of the population is literate.

An influx of outside migration led to a rise of 1,062,039 in the population.

In 2023, the population in the U.S. is projected to grow by an average of 6,964 people every day.

The estimations indicate that the daily population change rate in the USA in 2023 will be 11,652 births, 7,620 deaths, and 2,932 immigrants on average per day (or 485.52 births, 317.51 deaths, and 122.15 immigrants per hour).

Section

02

Population Statistics by State

Discover the states with the largest and smallest populations in the United States. Find out which states are growing and which are shrinking, and how population trends are changing over time in the following section.

California was the state with the highest resident population in the United States in 2022, with 39.03 million people.

California is home to almost 40 million residents, making up 12% of the US population. If it were an independent country, its economy would rank 8th globally and its population 36th.

Texas is the second largest state with a population of 29.7 million and a growth rate of 3.85% per year.

Florida, with a population of 21.9 million and a growth rate of 3.30%, is the third largest state.

New York, with a population of 20 million, is the fourth largest. Half of New York's residents live in New York City.

Wyoming is the smallest state by population, with a population of less than 600,000 and a negative growth rate of 0.60% annually.

Other states with declining populations include Louisiana, Connecticut, Kansas, West Virginia, Hawaii, and Alaska.

New York and Illinois, despite having large cities like New York City and Chicago, also have negative population growth.

New York, despite its large population, has seen a decline in its growth rate  decreasing by 0.26% from 19,542,209 to 19,491,339.

Despite this decline, New York still has a high population density of 414 people per square mile, compared to the national average of 87.

Louisiana is the 25th largest state in terms of population, with a population of approximately 4,652,581. Despite a slight decrease in population growth by 0.159%  the state has a higher population density of 108 people per square mile.

Connecticut's population has decreased gradually, from 3,579,125 in 2010 to 3,567,871. Despite its small size, the state has a high population density of 737 people per square mile, compared to the national average of 87 people per square mile.

The South region was the fastest-growing and largest-gaining region in 2022 with a 1.1% increase in population due to positive net domestic and international migration.

The Northeast and the Midwest lost 218,851 (-0.4%) and 48,910 (-0.1%) residents. The West was the only other region to experience growth in 2022, having gained 153,601 residents — an annual increase of 0.2% for a total resident population of 78,743,364.

Section

03

Population Statistics by City

According to US Census Bureau data, 10 cities in the US boast a population of over 1 million residents. Keep reading to uncover more statistics.

The US city with the largest population is New York City, with a population reaching 8,992,908.

Los Angeles and Chicago follow after New York City, each with over 2.5 million residents.

Houston and Phoenix complete the top five with nearly 2.3 million and 1.6 million residents respectively.

In Texas, apart from Houston, cities like Dallas and San Antonio also have populations exceeding one million.

Fort Worth, Austin, and El Paso each have over 500,000 residents.

Fort Worth had the highest growth rate among Texas cities at 2.34%.

Irvine, California had the highest growth rate in the US at 3.87%, while St. Louis, Missouri had the lowest growth rate at -1.11%.

Fort Worth, Austin, and El Paso each have over 500,000 residents.

Fort Worth had the highest growth rate among Texas cities at 2.34%.

Irvine, California had the highest growth rate in the US at 3.87%, while St. Louis, Missouri had the lowest growth rate at -1.11%.

Tulsa, Oklahoma was the only city with a growth rate of 0.00%.

Despite the growth of major cities, cities not associated with urban areas have also grown, such as Henderson, Nevada (2.76%), Scottsdale, Arizona (2.75%), and Durham, North Carolina (2.09%).

Out of the 15 fastest-growing cities or towns with a large population, eight were in the West, with five of them being located in Arizona, and seven in the South.

The South and West also housed the top 15 cities that had the largest numeric gains, with 11 of them being in the South and 4 in the West.

With a population density of 67/km², Anchorage, Alaska has the lowest population density in the US.

Other cities with low population density include Chesapeake, Virginia (274/km²), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (332/km²), and Jacksonville, Florida (462/km²).

Phoenix was the quickest-growing city in the US for the given one-year period, according to this data. The city saw an increase of 25,288 people, bringing its total population to 1,660,272.

Seattle also topped the list as the quickest-growing city, experiencing a 14.2% increase in population.

Austin followed close behind with 12.8%, while Fort Worth and Miami both had a 12.0% population growth.

Section

04

Population Demographics

The US population is diverse and ever-changing. Exploring key demographics helps understand the nation's current and future state. Let's delve into these important statistics.

In the U.S., there are 67,773,478 young people under the age of 15, including 34,602,347 males and 33,171,131 females.

Additionally, there are 225,463,775 persons between the ages of 15 and 64, including 112,519,230 males and 112,944,545 females. Lastly, there are 44,317,063 persons over the age of 64, including 19,122,261 males and 25,191,427 females.

The Child Dependency Ratio in the United States is 30.1%.

The Aged Dependency Ratio in the United States is 19.7%.

The total life expectancy (for both genders) at birth in the United States is 78.4 years, which is higher than the global average of 71 years.

Our estimates show that 99% of adults (aged 15 and above) in the United States, totaling 267,079,688 individuals, are literate.

Around 2,697,775 adults are illiterate.

The literacy rate for adult males is 99% (130,325,076 individuals), with 1,316,415 being illiterate.

For adult females, the literacy rate is also 99% (136,754,612 individuals), with 1,381,360 being illiterate.

Both male and female youth have a literacy rate of 99%, resulting in an overall youth literacy rate of 99%.

As of now, 60.4% of the population in the United States is white. The racial makeup of the country is expected to change significantly by 2055, according to the Pew Research Center.

The Hispanic and Asian populations in the US are projected to almost triple in the next 40 years.

The United States has the largest Christian population globally with 70.60% of the population following it.

Among Christians, the Protestant Churches have the most followers at 46.6%, followed by Roman Catholics (20.8%).

In addition, Mormons make 1.6% of the population, Orthodox Christians 0.5%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 0.8%, and other Christians.

Non-Christian Faiths make up 5.9% of the population and include Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists.

By 2055, it is estimated that the population will consist of 48% White, 24% Hispanic, 14% Asian, and 13% Black.

Section

05

Immigration Statistics

The United States is a melting pot of cultures, with a diverse population that has been shaped by waves of immigration throughout its history. Immigration has impacted population growth in the U.S. Read the section below to understand how immigration has shaped the U.S. population.

The record-high number of foreign-born residents in the US, both legal and illegal, was 47.9 million in September 2022 - 2.9 million more than the number recorded in January 2021.

60% of the increase in the foreign-born population is attributed to immigrants from Latin American countries other than Mexico. Illegal immigrants made up 61% or approximately 1.8 million of the growth in the foreign-born population.

The foreign-born population now constitutes 14.6% of the total US population, or one in seven residents.

This marks the highest percentage in 112 years. This is a significant increase from 1990, where they were one in 13 residents.

If current trends persist, the foreign-born population will make up 14.9% of the US population in August of the next year, surpassing the previous record highs of 14.7% in 1910 and 14.8% in 1890.

Along with the immigrants, there are 17.2 million US-born children under the age of 18 who have at least one immigrant parent.

The combined population of immigrants and their children now make up one in five residents in the US, totaling 65 million people.

Initially, the sharp rise in the foreign-born population in recent months could have been interpreted as a return to the decade-long growth trend that was temporarily disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the 47.9 million immigrants in September surpasses the previous trend line by 1.1 million.

Since President Biden took office, the average monthly growth of the foreign-born population has been 143,000, which is significantly higher than the average of 76,000 per month in Obama's second term, and 42,000 per month under Trump before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Out of the 47.9 million immigrants in the US in September, 29.4 million were employed. This is an increase of two million compared to September 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fact that only 60% of immigrants are employed serves as a reminder that immigrants are not just workers, but also individuals with various ages, abilities, and personal circumstances.

The number of employed immigrant workers has increased by five million, while the number of employed US-born workers has increased by 6.2 million.

This means that immigrants make up 44% of the net employment growth that has emerged from the 2020 pandemic-related recession.

Although a significant portion of the recent growth in the foreign-born population can be attributed to illegal immigration, those residing legally still make up three-fourths of the total foreign-born population.

Section

06

Population Projections

Explore the latest US population projections, shaping the nation's future. Gain valuable insights into the demographic changes reshaping America.

The US is expected to grow by 79 million people from 326 million in 2017 to 404 million by 2060, reaching the 400 million mark in 2058.

By 2030, net international migration is expected to surpass natural increase as the primary driver of population growth in the US due to aging population, adding 1.1 million people.

The aging of America is projected to result in the 65-and-over population nearly doubling from 49 million in 2016 to 95 million in 2060, and the share of the population aged 65 and older will increase from 15% in 2016 to a quarter of the total population in 2060.

The population of people 85 years and older is expected to nearly triple to 19 million by 2060.

By 2020, less than half (49.8%) of children in the U.S. are projected to be non-Hispanic White, while 72% of children are projected to be White, regardless of their Hispanic origin.

The older age groups have a larger proportion of women than men due to women's tendency to live longer, with sex ratios of 79 and 54 for the 65-plus and 85-plus population respectively, indicating a heavy skew towards women.

The racial/ethnic group "Two or More Races" is projected to have the fastest growth in the US, increasing by 200% by 2060, followed by the Asian population doubling and the Hispanic population nearly doubling.

The only group projected to shrink is the non-Hispanic White population, expected to decrease by 19 million from 198 million to 179 million.

The White population, including non-Hispanic Whites, is expected to decline as more deaths are projected than births, but they will still remain the largest racial group in the next 40 years.

The older population in the United States is expected to grow with aging baby boomers and rising life expectancy.

The population 85 years and older is projected to increase 200% to 19 million people by 2060.

The country will also add half a million centenarians over that period.

By 2060, the US will resemble Japan today with nearly a quarter of the population aged 65 and over.

The number of men relative to women in the 65+ population is expected to increase from 79 men per 100 women to 86 men per 100 women by 2060.