The Nation - News from Dec. 30, 1985

The U.S. population has grown by 12.2 million, or 5.4%, in the last five years to a total of 238,740,000, and Southern and Western states gained more than 90% of the increase, the Census Bureau reported. California is still the most populous state, with 26,365,000 residents as of last July 1. It was followed by New York, with 17,783,000; Texas, with 16,370,000; Pennsylvania, with 11,853,000, and Illinois, with 11,535,000. Alaska continued to be the fastest-growing state as its population swelled from 402,000 residents to 521,000. Wyoming became the least populous state, with 509,000 people.