There are more deaths than births in almost half the counties. Source: Business Insider

There are more people dying than being born in almost half of the counties in the US. This is according to data released by the Census Bureau in its report of population change. The report covers all the 3,142 counties in the US. It also covers additional details about the population change including the difference in the number of births and deaths in each county. The difference is known as natural population change. It refers to the changes in population that are caused by the natural cycle of life and not people moving from one county to another.

In such a scenario, counties will be considered to have a natural population increase if the number of births in a given year is higher than the number of deaths. Conversely, a county with higher deaths than births will be considered to have a natural decrease in population. From the data released by the Census Bureau, at least half of all US counties in the US are categorized as having a natural population decrease. These counties are mostly based in the Northeast, Florida, Appalachia, and the upper Midwest. Large areas of the interior West are, however, seeing a natural increase in population.

Madison County in ID has the highest natural population increase. Source: Bangor Daily News

Here are the top ten counties with the highest natural population increase between 2017 and 2018:

  1. Madison County, ID with a natural change of 24 per 1,000 residents
  2. Geary County, KS with a natural gain of 20.1 per 1,000 residents
  3. Chattahoochee County, GA with a natural increase of 18.7 per 1,000 residents
  4. Fairfax City, VA with a natural increase of 18.0 per 1,000 residents
  5. Liberty County, GA with a natural increase of 17.0 per 1,000 residents
  6. Bethel Census Area, AK with a natural increase of 16.5 per 1,000 residents
  7. Utah County, UT with a natural increase of 16.1 per 1,000 residents
  8. Gaines County, TX with a natural increase of 15.8 per 1,000 residents
  9. McKenzie County, ND with a natural increase of 14.8 per 1,000 residents
  10. Onslow County, NC with a natural increase of 14.5 per 1,000 residents

We also have a list of the top ten counties with the highest natural decrease per 1,000 residents. This means that the net difference between births and deaths is on the negative.

  1. Sierra County, NM with a natural change per 1,000 residents of -12
  2. Sumter County, FL with a natural change per 1,000 residents of -11.7
  3. Alcona County, MI with a natural change per 1,000 residents of -11.3
  4. Citrus County, FL with a natural change per 1,000 residents of -10.5
  5. Charlotte County, FL with a natural population change per 1,000 residents of -9.8
  6. Lancaster County, VA with a natural population change per 1,000 residents of -9.3
  7. Roscommon County, MI with a natural population change per 1,000 residents of -9.2
  8. Northumberland County, VA with a natural population change per 1,000 residents of -9.0
  9. Fulton County, AR with a natural change per 1,000 residents of -8.7
  10. Alleghany County, VA with a natural change per 1,000 residents of 8.6.