California Remains The Most Populous State

The population of the U.S. grew by 2.9 million people between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006, according to a recent report by the U.S. Census Bureau.

More than 299 million people reside in the nation, and the five most populous states, led by California with 36.5 million residents, account for 37 percent of the country's population.

Regionally, the West comprises 23 percent of the nation's total population.Five of the 10 fastest-growing states between 2005 and 2006 are in the West, including Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado.

With a growth rate of 3.6 percent, Arizona became the nation's fastest-growing state, a title previously held by Nevada for 19 consecutive years.

**Taken from the California Association of Realtors Bulletin, dated December 27, 2006.