RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Fastest shrinking, US states · 2000

US states with the steepest population decline from the 1990 census to 2000. District of Columbia leads at -5.7%. 51 states qualify in total.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS –

USUnited States281,421,906+14.8%–

01District of Columbia, DCDC681,294-5.7%–

02North Dakota, NDND784,841+0.5%–

03West Virginia, WVWV1,778,373+0.8%–

04Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,639+3.4%–

05Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508+3.6%–

06Maine, MEME1,387,817+3.8%–

07Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,801+4.5%–

08Ohio, OHOH11,810,293+4.7%–

09Iowa, IAIA3,210,507+5.4%–

10New York, NYNY19,852,366+5.5%–

11Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056+5.5%–

12Louisiana, LALA4,611,961+5.9%–

13Michigan, MIMI10,077,761+6.9%–

14Vermont, VTVT647,106+8.2%–

15Nebraska, NENE1,978,707+8.4%–

16South Dakota, SDSD907,428+8.5%–

17Kansas, KSKS2,947,197+8.5%–

18Illinois, ILIL12,694,798+8.6%–

19New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,809+8.9%–

20Wyoming, WYWY582,397+8.9%–

21Hawaii, HIHI1,445,235+9.3%–

22Missouri, MOMO6,191,814+9.3%–

23Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,872+9.6%–

24Kentucky, KYKY4,534,824+9.7%–

25Indiana, ININ6,851,073+9.7%–

26Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,634+9.7%–

27Alabama, ALAL5,086,768+10.1%–

28Mississippi, MSMS2,946,779+10.5%–

29Maryland, MDMD6,206,011+10.8%–

30New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,868+11.4%–

31Minnesota, MNMN5,739,445+12.4%–

32Montana, MTMT1,116,875+12.9%–

33Arkansas, ARAR3,049,391+13.7%–

34California, CACA39,287,377+13.8%–

35Alaska, AKAK735,706+14.0%–

36Virginia, VAVA8,705,170+14.4%–

37South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225+15.1%–

38Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383+16.7%–

39Delaware, DEDE1,021,191+17.6%–

40New Mexico, NMNM2,120,246+20.1%–

41Oregon, OROR4,254,293+20.4%–

42Washington, WAWA7,816,116+21.1%–

43North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404+21.4%–

44Texas, TXTX30,188,424+22.8%–

45Florida, FLFL22,416,077+23.5%–

46Georgia, GAGA10,940,407+26.4%–

47Idaho, IDID1,934,262+28.5%–

48Utah, UTUT3,392,331+29.6%–

49Colorado, COCO5,862,189+30.6%–

50Arizona, AZAZ7,378,838+40.0%–

51Nevada, NVNV3,184,612+66.3%–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest population growth?

District of Columbia ranks #1 with -5.7% (2000 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by population growth?

District of Columbia, North Dakota, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2000 Decennial Census data.

How is population growth measured?

Percent change in population from the prior decennial census. Source: US Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census.