New York State Sees Big Population Growth in Years, Driven by Migrants

By Y.M. Lowy

New York State’s population grew by nearly 130,000 people from July 2023 to July 2024, marking the largest one-year increase since before the pandemic, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

While about 121,000 people left New York for other states, the overall population still grew. The main driver of this growth? A surge in international migration, with more than 207,000 people from Latin America, the Caribbean, China, and Africa moving to the state. This is the highest number of new arrivals New York has seen since the early 2000s.

The Census Bureau also pointed out that changes in how migrants are counted could be a factor. More people who moved for humanitarian or short-term reasons are now included in the numbers, making the growth even more significant.

New York, along with Texas and California, was one of only nine states to gain more than 100,000 people. New York also saw one of the highest natural population increases, where births outnumbered deaths.

New York’s continued appeal as a destination for people from around the world is seen by this population growth, even as more residents leave for other states.