The U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2023 estimates show that population in six Northwest and North Central Indiana counties grew since 2022.
About 60% of counties in the nation grew in population from 2022 to 2023, an increase from 52% in 2021 to 2022.
“Domestic migration patterns are changing, and the impact on counties is especially evident,” said Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Branch, in a press release. “Areas which experienced high levels of domestic out-migration during the pandemic, such as in the Midwest and Northeast, are now seeing more counties with population growth. Meanwhile, county population growth is slowing down out west, such as in Arizona and Idaho.”
The following list shows population increases from 2022 to 2023 in the six Region counties that grew, according to the U.S. Census Bureau:
- Lake County: 499,657 to 500,598
- Newton County: 13,839 to 13,960
- Jasper County: 33,345 to 33,535
- Porter County: 174,848 to 175,335
- St. Joseph County: 272,282 to 272,848
- Starke County: 23,203 to 23,206
Of the U.S.'s 3,144 counties, the average change in population from 2022 to 2023 was 0.29%.
For the first time since 2020, more counties in the Midwest gained population that lost.
