More than half of Alabama counties grew in population between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, reflecting more people moving into the state than in recent years and the population growth being more widespread than in recent years, according to a recent analysis by the Public Research Council of Alabama.

The biggest growth was concentrated around the Huntsville area and in the south in Baldwin County, next to Mobile’s urban center, according to the report, with other growth areas in the Wiregrass and northeast Alabama.

PARCA’s report was based on the Census Bureau’s latest population estimates.

“Generally, counties along the Interstate corridors are growing, as well as counties bordering Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida,” the report states. “On the western border with Mississippi, most counties are losing population.”

Alabama’s traditional urban centers — Jefferson, Montgomery and Mobile — lost population as people moved to other counties in the state.

Statewide, Alabama added 28,609 residents for a .5% growth. Thirty-six of Alabama’s 67 counties added residents compared to 29 counties the year before.

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Read the full report with interactive maps.

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The PARCA report said that Alabama grew despite four factors that would tend to drive population down. Death rates still are elevated in the wake of COVID-19. The Baby Boomers are aging, moving a bigger population into higher mortality ages. Succeeding generations are smaller than the ones before. And Alabama has historically low international migration.

Population Winners and Losers

Specifically, the fastest-growing county was Baldwin County, with a growth of 7,074 people. Madison came in a close second, with 6,972 people moving into the county that year, and Limestone came in a distant third, with 3,519 people moving in, according to PARCA’s report.

But percentagewise, Limestone, which is next to Madison County, led the list with a 3.3% percent growth in its population. Baldwin County had a population growth rate of 3.0% and Madison County had a growth rate of 1.8%.

Numerically, Jefferson County led the counties that lost population in ’21-’22. The county lost 4,588 people — which is .7% of its population.

Jefferson still is by far the most populous county in the state, more than half again over the populations of the next largest counties.

Percentagewise, Perry County was the biggest loser, with 3.4% of its population leaving the county.