(LANSING) - Michigan gained residents from other U.S. states for the first time in more than three decades, marking a significant demographic shift after years of population losses.
New estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show Michigan added about 27,900 residents in the year ending in July, pushing the state's population to roughly 10.13 million. The data indicate the state recorded a net gain of approximately 1,800 people through domestic migration -- meaning more people moved into Michigan from other states than moved away. It is the first year of positive domestic migration for Michigan since at least 1990.
Overall population growth in Michigan rose by about 0.3 percent, ranking 36th nationally and trailing the U.S. average growth rate of roughly 0.5 percent.
State officials pointed to economic conditions and quality-of-life factors as contributors to the shift, including job availability, cost of living and access to education. Demographers say the change appears to be driven more by fewer people leaving Michigan than by a surge of new arrivals, reflecting broader national trends showing reduced interstate mobility.
International migration continued to account for the largest share of Michigan's population growth, with an estimated 30,700 people moving to the state from abroad over the past year. That figure, however, represents a sharp decline from the previous year, when international arrivals exceeded 67,000. Federal immigration enforcement changes are expected to further slow international migration in the near term.
Michigan's growth was partially offset by natural population decline, as the state recorded about 5,000 more deaths than births, a trend tied to an aging population and lower birth rates.
Census officials cautioned that the estimates are subject to revision as additional data become available, but the latest figures suggest Michigan may be stabilizing after decades of population challenges.