JUNE 25, 2026 – All age groups in the South grew faster than in any other region from 2020 to 2025, primarily fueled by outlying metro counties, according to new Vintage 2025 estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Many counties across the country saw slower growth in the past year, but those in the South were less affected. In fact, the region has had most of the nation’s fastest‑growing counties every year since 2020.
New data released today for all counties in the United States and Puerto Rico provide a closer look at what age groups were driving the growth of U.S. counties across different stages of life: childhood (0-17), young adulthood and higher education (18-24), early work and family-building years (25-44), midlife (45-64), and retirement (65 and older).
“Regional age patterns are changing for a few key reasons,” said Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates branch. “The continued transition of baby boomers into retirement age, compounded by local migration and fertility patterns, is shifting the demographic makeup of the country. The South stands out because it is seeing population gains in age groups that in other regions saw little change or are declining, reflecting its strong positive migration patterns this decade.”
Between April 1, 2020, and July 1, 2025, the South grew by 6.0%, nearly double the nation’s 3.1% population growth. It was the only region to see population growth in all five age groups, outpacing the other regions within each age group.
