UNH Today

NBC News: U.S. Population Growth at Lowest Rate Since Nation’s Founding

NBC News interviewed Ken Johnson, Senior Demographer with the Carsey School, regarding 2021’s decline in the U.S. population growth rate – reportedly the largest decline since the nation’s founding. Impacts on the population growth rate included, most notably, COVID-19, along with lower birth rates among women of childbearing age.

The Washington Post: U.S. Population Growth Hits Record Low, Slowed by Pandemic

Tara Bahrampour of The Washington Post reported on 2021’s U.S. population growth of just 0.1 percent – the lowest rate since the country’s founding – and included an interview with Ken Johnson of the Carsey School of Public Policy. Johnson said, “In addition to 475,000 deaths directly attributable to covid during the period, it also increased mortality by hindering people’s access to treatment for other health conditions, discouraged people from having babies, and reduced immigration.”

ABC News: US Population Growth at Lowest Rate in Pandemic’s 1st Year

The U.S. population growth dipped to an all-time low during the COVID-19 pandemic’s first year. ABC News reported on this shift, interviewing Carsey School Senior Demographer Ken Johnson, who described the decline in natural population increase as “stunning” and added that 2021 represented the smallest spread of births over deaths in more than eight decades.

NH Public Radio: Report: One-quarter of U.S. households with young children struggle to find child care

Todd Bookman of New Hampshire Public Radio recently reported on the nationwide dearth of adequate child care, citing new research from Jess Carson at the Carsey School of Public Policy. Carson, along with additional researchers from UNH, authored the brief: Childcare Remains Out of Reach for Millions in 2021, Leading to Disproportionate Job Losses for Black, Hispanic, and Low-Income Families

Today.com: US population hit its lowest rate in 2020: Here’s why it matters

“U.S. natural increase was already at a low ebb prior to COVID with the fertility rate hitting a new record low each year and deaths steadily rising due to the population aging.”

Carsey School Senior Demographer Ken Johnson recently spoke with Today.com about the “stunning” decline in natural population increase last year.

Passion for Fashion

When quarantine began, communications arts major Haley Vinciguerra ’21 seized the opportunity to pursue her passion for fashion bycreating Aver Streetwear, a brand that encourages wearers to exist loudly and assert themselves with confidence.

The Washington Post: U.S. population growth hits record low, slowed by pandemic

In this recent article, The Washington Post examines 2020 Census data showing that in the last year the U.S. grew by the smallest percentage since its founding. The article includes discussion with different demographers including Ken Johnson of the Carsey School, who called the sharp decline in natural increase “stunning” and said the pandemic played a central role in that precipitous drop.