Marketplace All-in-One Population growth in the U.S. is slowing
Mar 26, 2026
Nancy Marshall-Genzer, Marketplace reporter who explains Census trends and migration shifts. Carla Javier, Marketplace journalist who covers the pawn shop economy and consumer borrowing. They discuss slowing metro population growth, sharp border declines tied to lower international migration, internal Sun Belt moves, and why pawn shops are seeing record demand and rising loan sizes.
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Metro Population Growth Has Nearly Halved
- U.S. population growth slowed sharply from July 2024 to July 2025.
- Nancy Marshall-Genzer reports metro growth fell from ~1% to ~0.5% driven by a big drop in net international migration, especially along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Immigration Decline Drove National Slowdown
- Immigration declined in nine out of 10 U.S. counties during that period.
- Census attributes the drop to decreased net international migration amid immigration restrictions at the end of the Biden administration and expansions by President Trump.
Immigration Offsets Falling Birth Rates
- The U.S. has leaned on immigrants to offset falling birth rates and support Social Security for retiring baby boomers.
- Nancy Marshall-Genzer highlights immigration's role in supplying young workers to bolster payrolls and benefits systems.