Georgia had the ninth-highest population growth rate among states and gained more people than all but three others between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Georgia’s population grew at a rate of 1.7 percent, adding 162,447 people during the yearlong period. At 2.5 percent, Utah was the fastest-growing state.
Six of the top 10 fastest-growing states were in the Rocky Mountain region, while three – Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina – were in the South.
Only Texas, California and North Carolina gained more people than Georgia.
About half of Georgia’s population growth can be attributed to “natural increase,” more births than deaths in a given period. Migration added more than 83,000 people to the state.
Of those, about a third, or 27,118, were categorized as “international.”
The designation takes into account foreigners coming into the U.S. as well as U.S. natives moving back after living abroad.
For the full report, go to www.census.gov/popest/estimates.php.
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