Biggest U.S. states
1. California, 39,144,8182. Texas, 27,469,1143. Florida, 20,271,2724. New York, 19,795,7915. Illinois, 12,859,9956. Pennsylvania 12,802,5037. Ohio 11,613,4238. Georgia, 10,214,8609. North Carolina, 10,042,80210. Michigan, 9,922,576Source: U.S. Bureau of Census population estimate for 2015
Tennessee added 104,944 new residents who moved to the Volunteer State from elsewhere in America over the past five years, according to a new government report.
The U.S. Bureau of Census said Tennessee was one of the top 10 states for drawing residents from other states from 2010 to 2015.
Neighboring Georgia drew 82,493 new residents from other states in the same period, while Alabama had a net gain of only 2,005 from interstate residence moves since 2010.
The top states that added the most people from elsewhere in the U.S. since 2010, in order, were Texas, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, Arizona, South Carolina, Washington, Tennessee, Oregon and Georgia.
Southern states boasted warmer climates and lower taxes than most of the states that shed population. But the fastest growing state remained North Dakota, due to the demand for oil and fracking workers in the growing energy industry in that northern state.
While Tennessee drew the most moves from other states in the tri-state region, Georgia attracted far more new residents from other countries in the past five years. The U.S. Bureau of Census estimates 134,971 new residents in Georgia came from another country from 2010 to 2015. Georgia is home to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, the busiest in the world.
Over the past five years, Tennessee added 49,546 residents from other countries and Alabama drew 27,276 new international residents.
The new population estimates released this week by the census bureau said Tennessee's population of 6,346,105 in 2010 grew by 4 percent, or 254,194 residents, to top 6.6 million this year.
Georgia's overall population grew even faster, rising by 5.4 percent, or 527,207 residents, over the past five years to top 10.2 million this year.
Alabama's population this year is estimated at nearly 4.9 million, up 1.7 percent, or 79,243. residents, since 2010.
Nationwide, the U.S population grew by 4.1 percent from 2010 to 2015, rising to 321.4 million.
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6340.