More Deaths and Less Migration Delay Milestone
Every year, the U.S. Census Bureau updates its population estimates for the United States. In 2016, we calculated that the population was going to reach 325 million on November 26 and we reported that. But, this was based on our estimates from 2015. When we released our Vintage 2016 estimates on December 20, the milestone moment of 325 million had slipped more than five months to May 7, 2017.
Why the change? Why was the population almost 900,000 short of 325 million on November 26, 2016? According to our experts, deaths were higher and net international migration was lower than expected. The Vintage 2016 estimates, being the latest, are more accurate than the 2015 Vintage estimates. Learn more about our Population Estimates Program and the methodology we use. Take a look at the National Population Totals Tables: 2010-2016.
The Census Bureau counts everyone living in the United States once each decade on Census Day. We last did this on April 1, 2010 and the population was 308,745,538. The 2020 Census will be on April 1, 2020.
Visit the U.S. and World Population Clock for more information. Click here for the graphic shown below.
Derick Moore is senior communications specialist at the Census Bureau.
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