Arizona among top states in population growth from 2020 to 2021

PHOENIX — Arizona was ranked among the top states for population growth in the past year, according to data released last week.

The Grand Canyon State ranked No. 3 in numeric growth from July 1, 2020, to July of this year, the U.S. Census Bureau said in its annual population estimate.

The net growth of 98,330 people trailed only Texas and Florida.

Arizona’s percent growth of 1.4% — from 7,177,986 people to 7,276,316 — was fourth behind Idaho, Utah and Montana.

The state’s population increase comes on the heels of the 2020 census showing strong growth in Phoenix over the past decade.

Phoenix was the fastest-growing big city in the U.S. between 2010 and 2020 as it added 163,000 more residents, according to data released in August by the Census Bureau.

Two of its suburbs — Buckeye and Goodyear in the West Valley — were among the 10 fastest-growing of all U.S. cities during the decade.

Growth across the Phoenix metro area drove up Maricopa County’s population by 15.8%.

Arizona’s neighbor, California, remained the most populous state in the nation with 39,237,836 residents.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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