Over the past year, North Carolina has become the most desirable state for those who wished move within the United States.
According to most recent estimates from the Census BureauBetween July 2024 and July 2025, the number of people who arrived in North Carolina was 84,000 more than the number who left for other states.
With that "positive balance of state migration" of 84,000 people, it consolidated itself as the number one state in terms of internal migration.
As Michael Cline, demographer and author of a analysis published by the State Budget Office (OSBM), this balance was higher than that of other states that also registered good numbers of internal migration, such as Texas (+67,000), South Carolina (+66,000) and Tennessee (+42,000).
These figures always refer to people who moved from one state to another, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or country of origin.
Broader population growth
But internal migration is only one part of it population growth total for North Carolina.
Between 2024 and 2025, there was also a net international migration of nearly 47,000 people. In other words, 47,000 more immigrants arrived in North Carolina than the number of residents who left the state for other countries.
Overall, between state migration, international migration and natural growth (births minus deaths), the state added about 146,000 people between July 2024 and July 2025.
In percentage terms, North Carolina's population grew by 1.3% in the past year. That ranked it as the third fastest-growing state in the country, behind only South Carolina (1.5%) and Idaho (1.4%).
Related: How much do you need to earn to live in Western North Carolina?
A sustained population increase over time
Since the beginning of the decade in April 2020, North Carolina has added nearly 757,000 people. This represents a 7.2% increase since the last census. “This cumulative growth is one of the fastest in the country,” Cline concluded.
By mid-2025, the state's population reached approximately 11.2 million. Projections indicate that, if current trends continue, North Carolina could become the seventh most populous state in the United States, surpassing states like Georgia and Ohio.
Related: “The immigrant population generated more in taxes than it received in benefits,” says study
The challenges of population growth
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein spoke proudly about the population growth of the state. “Our strong economic growth, natural beauty and good people are attracting people from all over the country,” he said.
However, a statement from the Governor's Office He also highlighted the infrastructure and public investment challenges that come with welcoming more people to the state.
“With the arrival of new people, the need arises to provide essential services, such as public safety, infrastructure, and education, to meet the growing demand. (…) The tax cuts pre-programmed by the General Assembly are pushing the State toward a fiscal cliff (…). This gap leaves the State less prepared to respond to disasters or to address staff shortages in healthcare or law enforcement,” the press release stated.
In dialogue with Enlace Latino NC A Raleigh resident who preferred to keep her name private also expressed both satisfaction and awareness of the challenges that population growth entails.
“I love that there are new people in North Carolina, but population growth also brings new challenges. These challenges are related to the lack of public investment,” said the resident, an entrepreneur of Hispanic origin.
“Schools are overcrowded and there is a shortage of both teachers "such as bus drivers," he mentioned.
And the shortcomings that residents perceive in their daily lives are not only in terms of human resources, but also in infrastructure. “There are new buildings everywhere to house people, but no new roads. Medical appointments are becoming increasingly infrequent, and hospital emergency rooms are overflowing with patients. I love the population growth, but we need public investment to keep pace with that growth.”
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After the storm
A year ago, Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina. The Latino community responded with something stronger than the storm: solidarity.
🎧 In this episode, learn how Latino organizations transformed crisis into resilience.
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