U.S. population up 1 percent over last year

By MARY LOU PICKEL

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, December 29, 2008

The nation’s population is projected to reach 305,529,237 on New Year’s Day, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

That’s nearly a one percent increase from last Jan. 1.

In January 2009, one birth is expected to occur every eight seconds and one death every 12 seconds.

Immigration is expected to add one person every 36 seconds in January.

Overall, between birth, death and people entering and leaving the country, the U.S. population is expected to increase by one person every 14 seconds in January, according to the census.

At that rate, it will probably take another 33 years before the country adds another one hundred million people.

The U.S. is expected to reach the 400 million mark somewhere between 2038 and 2039, according to the latest Census Bureau population projections.