This chart shows how each state's population rank changed over the past century (it's inspired by a similar chart from 1886). In it, you can see patterns in the economy, human migration, and more:
State population ranks have changed a lot over the past century. (Phil Edwards/Vox)
What messages do all those lines send? A lot — each one tells a state's story. And here are a few key points:
- The center of population is moving to the Southwest. That's clear when you see it mapped, but this chart shows that, as well — there's no other way to explain the meteoric rise of Arizona.
- The Midwest lost its dominance during the 20th century — a lot of the most significant losses in ranking occur in that region, whether it's Iowa (which sank from 15th to 30th) or Nebraska (from 29th to 38th).
- The Northwest flourished. Though it's easy to characterize the 20th century as one of Southwestern dominance, the Northwest is often lost in the shuffle. But the ascendancies of Washington and Oregon show that it was a Western century, as well.
Of course, there's a lot more to debate — it's hard to say which states are the true victors when more than population is considered.
Moreover, a relative ranking probably underemphasizes the changes in actual population numbers — California, for example, had the most staggering rise in population (an increase of almost 35 million), even if other states outranked it in relative position.
Below, see who's gained or lost the most places in the ranking. And here you can find the full spreadsheet for every decade. Your home state has probably changed more than you realize — and it's bound to do the same in the century to come.
