If the current U.S. growth pace continues through the decade, the 2020s will be the slowest-growing decade in the nation’s history, according to William Frey, a well-known Brookings demographer.
Previously, the slowest-growing decade was the 1930s, in the aftermath of the Great Depression, Frey told AP.
On New Year’s Day, the U.S. population will be nearly 336 million — up nearly 2 million (0.53%) from a year ago, the Census Bureau projected Thursday. This indicates a 0.53% growth rate.
The Census Bureau says the world population on New Year’s Day will be just over 8 billion — up from 7.9 billion a year ago.
That’s an increase of 75 million, for a 0.95% growth rate.
In the U.S. in January, one birth is expected every 9.0 seconds and one death every 9.5 seconds.
Add up births, deaths and migration, and the U.S. population will grow by one person every 24.2 seconds.
