Census, population growth
Digest more
New Mexico was one of only five states to witness a population decrease based on the latest numbers just released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Researchers from the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution said the US recorded a net decline in its immigrant population ranging from 10,000 to 295,000 during 2025. They estimate that net immigration in 2026 could range from a gain of 185,000 people to a loss of as many as 925,000.
Perhaps the most profound implication of population decline lies in how we measure societal success. For millennia, growth served as the primary metric. A larger population meant more workers, more soldiers, more consumers driving ever-expanding economies.
The U.S. population may shrink in 2025 for the first time ever as immigration and birth rates decline. The immigrant population fell by over a million between January and June 2025, Census data shows. Experts warn the drop could slow GDP growth and weaken ...