Estimate puts U.S. population at 312.8 million

The U.S. population will total 312.8 million on Jan. 1, according to the latest estimate from the Census Bureau. In the past year, the nation’s population has increased by 2.25 million, or 0.7 percent. The Census Bureau expects that growth to continue in 2012, with one birth forecast to occur every eight seconds in the United States and one death every 12 seconds. In addition, it’s anticipated that international migration will add one person to the U.S. population every 46 seconds in January 2012. The combination of births, deaths and net international migration should result in an increase in the total U.S. population of one person every 17 seconds. If that pace holds for all of 2012, the population would increase by another 1.86 million by Jan. 1, 2013.

The U.S. population will total 312.8 million on Jan. 1, according to the latest estimate from the Census Bureau. In the past year, the nation’s population has increased by 2.25 million, or 0.7 percent. The Census Bureau expects that growth to continue in 2012, with one birth forecast to occur every eight seconds in the United States and one death every 12 seconds. In addition, it’s anticipated that international migration will add one person to the U.S. population every 46 seconds in January 2012. The combination of births, deaths and net international migration should result in an increase in the total U.S. population of one person every 17 seconds. If that pace holds for all of 2012, the population would increase by another 1.86 million by Jan. 1, 2013.