1930 State Populations

Slowing population growth.

In 1930, the United States population reached approximately 122.8 million, reflecting a period of significant, yet moderated, growth compared to prior decades. This slower expansion was primarily due to the severe restrictions on immigration implemented through the quota acts of the 1920s, which drastically curtailed the influx of foreign-born individuals, and the onset of the Great Depression, which began to impact birth rates and internal migration patterns. Despite the economic downturn, the long-standing trend of urbanization continued, with cities across the Northeast and Midwest remaining the nation's demographic centers, even as they bore the brunt of unemployment. Concurrently, the West, particularly California and the Pacific states, continued to experience notable growth, attracting people seeking new opportunities, while the Southern states, still predominantly agricultural, continued to see out-migration, especially among African Americans heading to northern industrial centers as part of the ongoing Great Migration.

Data Source: US Census Bureau