Americans are fleeing states with locked-down economies and schools in large numbers.
The United States Census Bureau released state population and domestic migration estimates for April 1, 2020, to July 1, 2021, in statistics published Dec. 21.
From @WSJopinion: It’s clear from the census data which side is winning the contest for talent and taxpayers https://t.co/SY4LgjFTdG
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) December 29, 2021
States with the most strict pandemic lockdown measures also lost the greatest number of residents, according to the statistics. (RELATED: California Population Drops For First Time Following COVID-19 Pandemic, Ongoing Exodus)
California came in next to last in population change, losing 261,902 residents from July 2020 to July 2021, according to the statistics. New York lost the most, with 319,020 residents leaving the state over the same period during the pandemic based on the report.
Illinois, another state with strict lockdown measures, was just behind California and New York, losing 113,776 residents from July 2020 to July 2021, according to the statistics.
Texas gained 310,288 new residents during the same period of time.
The 25 states with the most in-person learning in schools for 2020-2021 gained 822,064 residents between 2020 and 2021, according to a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
Former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo suggested he may challenge the Census Bureau’s population calculation in April. The state was short just 89 people to save one of the state’s congressional seats.
California also lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in history because of the state’s declining population.
The total population in the U.S. grew by just 0.1% from 2020 to 2021, the lowest rate in history. Part of the Census Bureau’s reasoning for the slow growth was an increase in death due to COVID-19.