U.S. Population Growth Sags Despite Economic Upturn

A demographer from the Population Reference Bureau attributes the growth slow-down entirely to the downturn and its lingering effect. The Census Bureau estimates the total U.S. population at 311.6 million.

"The U.S. fertility rate, which has been close to the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman in contrast to many developed nations that are well below that level, now is estimated to have fallen to 1.9, says demographer Joseph Chamie, former director of the United Nations Population Division and more recently research director at the Center for Migration Studies."

"For much of the nation's history, a booming population symbolized economic vitality and growing influence in the world. But environmental groups have questioned how many more people the nation can support, fueling a push for "sustainable" communities that encourage conserving green space and relying less on autos."