Indiana University

Skip to:

  1. Search
  2. Breadcrumb Navigation
  3. Content
  4. Browse by Topic
  5. Services & Resources
  6. Additional Resources
  7. Multimedia News

Indiana's 2009 population: Slow growth during economic downturn

Indiana's population grew by 34,800 between July 2008 and July 2009, reaching an estimated 6,423,100 residents. These estimates were released Dec. 23 to Indiana University's Indiana Business Research Center by the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to IBRC, based on its role as the state demographer and official representative to the U.S. Census Bureau for Population, Indiana's 2009 growth is the smallest annual population increase since 2004 when the state added 32,700 residents. By contrast, Indiana's average annual population growth between 2005 and 2008 was 43,500.

Population Growth

Illustration by Ned Shaw

Indiana's increase in population is less than 1 percent. This 0.54 percent increase over the previous year ranks it 35th fastest among all states, a rate of growth below the nation (0.86 percent) but above the Midwest region (0.36).

What's causing the slowdown? It can be attributed to a slowdown in migration -- particularly among domestic movers (those moving between states). Indiana had a net domestic migration loss of 6,800 residents between 2008 and 2009. This was the state's second-largest annual net out-migration of domestic residents this decade, behind the 2002 figure of nearly 13,000. Job losses and high unemployment are the most likely causes for this domestic out-migration.

In total 23 states experienced a net out-migration of domestic residents. Included among these states were the likes of Florida and Nevada which had experienced significant domestic in-migration throughout much of the decade.

A net in-migration of 9,200 international residents to Indiana off-set those domestic losses and produced a positive net migration of 2,400 in 2009. Ten states had negative net migration in 2009 including neighboring Illinois, Ohio and Michigan.

Ninety-four percent of Indiana's 2009 population growth is attributed to natural increase (more births than deaths). There were 88,700 births recorded in the state between 2008 and 2009 -- the third-highest annual tally this decade.

The U.S. population grew by 2.6 million between 2008 and 2009 to bring the nation's total population to 307 million. Sixty-eight percent of the nation's growth last year was attributed to natural increase, while 32 percent was the result of international migration.

Other highlights from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2009 national and state population estimates include:

  • Indiana was the nation's 16th most populous state as of July 1, 2009.
  • Indiana's population grew 5.6 percent between 2000 and 2009. This rate ranks fourth fastest among the 12 Midwest states and exceeds neighboring Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.
  • Indiana has experienced a net in-migration of 71,600 residents since 2000. Only four other Midwest states -- Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota -- have registered positive net migration over this period.
  • Michigan (-32,800), Maine (-1,400) and Rhode Island (-300) were the only states to lose population between 2008 and 2009. Michigan's population decline was driven by a net migration loss of 71,900 residents. With a mark of -24,400, Ohio had the nation's second greatest net migration loss.
  • Texas added 3.9 million residents between 2000 and 2009 to lead all states, followed by California (3.1 million) and Florida (2.6 million).
  • Nevada is the nation's fastest growing state since 2000 with a 32 percent population growth. Arizona and Utah round out the top three with population increases of 29 percent and 25 percent, respectively.
  • Since 2000, population growth in the West (13.2 percent) and the South (13.1 percent) regions continued to outpace the Midwest (3.8 percent) and Northeast (3.2 percent).

For more on national and state population estimates, visit the STATS Indiana Web site at https://www.stats.indiana.edu/topic/population.asp.