Hispanic, Asian people drive population boom, stopping losses in many states

by Tim Henderson, Maryland Matters
August 4, 2025

Hispanic, Asian and multiracial residents drove population growth in the United States last year,  and 16 states would have lost population without gains in those groups, according to a new analysis published last week by the Brookings Institution.

In three states where the number of residents declined — Mississippi, Vermont and West Virginia — growth in those communities prevented even greater population loss, according to the analysis.

In Maryland, population gains among Hispanics (32,646) and Asians (12,016) were augmented by increases in the Black population (14,224) to more than offset a drop in the white population of 17,580, for an overall one-year population gain of 46,158.

Nationwide, the 1% population growth for the year was mostly fueled by immigration, representing “a much-needed uptick from the historically low population growth of the COVID-19 period, along with the diminishing growth of recent decades,” the Brookings report said.

Recent Census Bureau data breaking down changes by race and Hispanic status show that Hispanic, Asian and multiracial categories made up 93% of the nation’s population growth. The number of Black and Native people also grew but at a much slower rate, while the white population declined.

Hispanic, Asian and multiracial people made up 86% of the growth in Texas, which had the largest population growth for the year at almost 563,000, and 78% of the growth in Florida, which ranked second for growth at about 467,000. California, which grew by about 233,000, would have lost population without growth in those groups.

In addition to California and Maryland, 14 other states would have lost population, but grew instead, because of larger numbers of Hispanic, Asian and multiracial people: Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington.

– Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at thenderson@stateline.org. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org.

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: editor@marylandmatters.org.