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From Home Furnishing Business
Fast Fact: State Population Growth, Big Counties Attract Residents
April 23,
2018 by Jason Schneider in Business Strategy, Industry 
As “Big America” continues to attract more residents, a strong factor determining a state’s population growth is the number of big counties it contains.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 Population Estimate Report shows 50 percent of U.S. residents living in just 143 counties (Big America), compared to 50 percent spread out over 2,999 counties (Small America).
Of the 17 states with a majority of residents living in big counties, Massachusetts and New Jersey have the highest percent of big counties – 50 percent and 47.6 percent respectively. California has the largest amount of big counties at 17, followed by Florida and Texas, both with 12.
Population in three big northern states, New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois decreased alongside less populated states like Wyoming, Vermont, and West Virginia.
With metropolitan areas spreading and more Americans gravitating to big counties that have warmer climates, job opportunities, and desirable cost of living, the divide between Big and Small America should accelerate.
For an in-depth look at state population growth, click here.