On the Records: Texas Has Largest Population Growth

The Lone Star State is getting bigger. Texas had the largest population growth of any state between April 2010 and July 2011, according to figures released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Although the state is still second to California in total population, Texas has gained more people than any other state — at least 529,000 — since the last major census figures were released.

The five states with the greatest population growth — Texas, California, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina — accounted for more than half of national growth during that time period. As a whole, the national population increased by 2.8 million, and is now 311.6 million.

Texas’ growth rate, 2.1 percent, was second only to Washington, D.C., which grew by 2.7 percent. Texas may be growing quickly, but nationally, the growth rate was less than 1 percent, the lowest it has been since the 1940s.

“The nation’s overall growth rate is now at its lowest point since before the baby boom,” said Census Bureau Director Robert Groves in a press release.