The United States saw a significant slowdown in population growth last year, a shift that researchers say was driven largely by President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown, even as the nation’s population climbed to nearly 342 million.
New population estimates show the U.S. grew by just 0.5 per cent in 2025, roughly half the pace recorded the previous year. In 2024, population growth had reached nearly one per cent—the fastest rate in more than two decades—largely fuelled by a surge in immigration.
Immigration gains fell sharply last year, increasing the population by about 1.3 million people compared with 2.8 million the year before. While births continued to outnumber deaths by more than half a million, the reduced inflow of newcomers was enough to noticeably slow overall growth. The figures do not differentiate between legal and irregular immigration.
The drop marks one of the weakest growth rates outside of major national crises. The only lower rate in modern history occurred during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, when population growth fell to just 0.16 per cent. Before that, the last comparable slowdown was recorded during the Spanish flu era more than a century ago.
States that traditionally attract large numbers of immigrants felt the impact most acutely. California posted a net population loss of roughly 9,500 people after gaining more than 230,000 residents the year before. While outbound migration from the state remained similar, immigration declined dramatically, accounting for nearly the entire reversal.
Florida also saw a sharp cooling in population gains. Rising housing costs and insurance rates contributed to fewer domestic migrants, while international migration dropped by more than half compared with the previous year. New York’s population growth nearly stalled, adding just over 1,000 residents as immigration levels fell significantly.
The data reflects the period from mid-2024 to mid-2025, capturing the transition between administrations and the early months of Trump’s return to the White House. During that time, immigration enforcement intensified in several major metropolitan areas, though later crackdowns in other cities are not yet fully reflected in the numbers.
The slowdown represents a dramatic shift from 2024, when international migration accounted for the vast majority of population growth. That earlier surge was partly influenced by changes in how humanitarian admissions were counted, which boosted official figures.
Demographers say the latest numbers align with broader trends showing fewer people entering the country and more leaving. Despite staffing cuts and concerns about political pressure on federal statistical agencies, independent experts say there is no indication the data has been compromised.
As immigration continues to play a central role in economic growth, labour supply, and demographic change, the figures highlight how policy decisions can quickly reshape population trends across the United States.