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New population estimates from the Census Bureau released Thursday indicate Nebraska added 17,601 people in 2024, enough to raise its estimated population, as of July 2024, over the 2 million landmark, to 2,005,465.

Nebraska’s one-year estimated increase in sheer numbers was its biggest since 1995. And while Nebraska’s estimated increase of 0.9% was slightly below the 1% increase for the nation, Nebraska’s percentage gain ranked 18th among the states and above all but one neighboring state.

“It’s a big deal to hit a milestone like that, especially one that’s such a round number,� David Drozd, a demographer with Community Health Development Partners in Omaha, said of the 2 million mark.

For the state to top the threshold this year comes as a big surprise. As of last year, Nebraska’s population was more than 20,000 short of that mark.

But along with the new population figures for 2024, the Census Bureau revised up estimates for previous years this decade. For example, Nebraska’s estimated population increase for 2023 was revised up by more than 5,000 people, from 10,319 to 15,618.

The revisions were largely due to changes in the way the Census Bureau estimates international migration — often a big driver of population change.

For Nebraska, the new population landmark was a long time in coming. 

It first officially topped the 1 million mark in the 1890 Census, almost 135 years ago.

While 2 million is a fun landmark, it likely does not carry a lot of significance, Drozd said. But it does bode well for the Omaha metro area’s population topping the 1 million mark when more local population estimates are released in March.

That likely would be meaningful, Drozd said, as retailers, food chains and other businesses often use 1 million as a population threshold when deciding where to locate.

“We can now get into that conversation,� Drozd said.

Looking regionally, Nebraska’s 0.9% growth by percentage trailed only Colorado’s 1% growth. Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota each grew about 0.7%, Missouri by 0.6% and Wyoming by 0.4%.

Drozd said Nebraska’s relatively strong population growth also bodes well for the state keeping all three of its congressional districts when Congress is reapportioned after the 2030 Census. As long as Nebraska’s growth continues this decade to track relatively close to the nation’s, “we are in no danger of losing a congressional seat,� he said.

The latest figure shows Nebraska is continuing to rebound from anemic growth at the start of this decade, held back due to both higher deaths during the pandemic and lower international immigration.

International immigration was the biggest driver of growth this year both here and nationally.

As the U.S. population hit the 340 million mark in 2024, the 1% growth was the fastest annual rate the nation has seen since 2001. It was a notable increase from the record low growth rate of 0.2% in 2021.

Of the nation’s growth of 3.3 million people, 2.8 million came from international immigration.

Of Nebraska’s 17,601 gain, roughly 13,000 came from international migration, while another 6,000 came from births exceeding deaths. The state also on net lost a small number of people due to migration to other states, about 1,500.

International migration has been much higher in recent years after falling sharply during the administration of President Donald Trump. It remains to be seen what Trump’s return to the White House in January will mean for population growth going forward.

Texas, the second-most populous state, had the largest numeric increase in the country, adding nearly 563,000 people for a total population of over 31 million in 2024.

North Carolina’s population surpassed 11 million and Florida’s population now exceeds 23 million, as both states experienced growth well above the national average at 1.5% and 2.0%, respectively.

Three states saw their populations decrease slightly between 2023 and 2024: Vermont (-215), Mississippi (-127) and West Virginia (-516).