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Population Review

Census ACS 2023 · 17 states

South Region

The South is the largest and most populated US region with 17 states plus DC. It includes major metro areas like Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, and the Washington DC suburbs. The South has experienced the fastest population growth in recent decades, driven by lower costs of living, job growth, and warm climate. It has the most diverse economy and demographics.

127,631,012

Total Population

17

States

$72,231

Avg Median Income

38.9

Avg Median Age

States in the South

Source: Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates

#StatePopulationMedian IncomeMedian AgeHome ValueBachelor's+
1West Virginia1,784,462$57,91742.7$155,60023.3%
2Virginia8,657,499$90,97438.8$360,70041.5%
3Texas29,640,343$76,29235.5$260,40033.1%
4Tennessee6,986,082$67,09738.9$256,80030.4%
5South Carolina5,212,774$66,81840.1$236,70031.5%
6Oklahoma3,995,260$63,60336.9$185,90027.8%
7North Carolina10,584,340$69,90439.1$259,40034.7%
8Mississippi2,951,438$54,91538.4$161,40024.2%
9Maryland6,170,738$101,65239.3$397,70042.7%
10Louisiana4,621,025$60,02337.8$208,70026.6%
11Kentucky4,510,725$62,41739.1$192,30027.0%
12Georgia10,822,590$74,66437.4$272,90034.2%
13Florida21,928,881$71,71142.6$325,00033.2%
14District of Columbia672,079$106,28734.9$724,60063.6%
15Delaware1,005,872$82,85541.5$326,80035.3%
16Arkansas3,032,651$58,77338.4$175,30025.1%
17Alabama5,054,253$62,02739.3$195,10027.8%

Other Regions

Frequently Asked Questions

The South region includes 17 states: Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, West Virginia, Delaware, District of Columbia.

The South region has a combined population of 127,631,012, representing 38.4% of the total US population.

The average median household income across South states is $72,231. Individual states range widely — see the table above for state-by-state details.

Regional aggregates calculated from state-level ACS 2023 5-Year data. Averages are unweighted across states.