ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — It's official: Florida has surpassed New York in population to become the third-most populous state in the union. 
 
 Figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau show that Florida has at least 19.9 million residents. The number is likely higher because the Census uses the population as of July 1 to create its estimate. 
 
 New York had 19.7 million residents. 
 
 Florida added almost 300,000 new residents from 2013 to 2014, or a little more than 800 new residents a day. By contrast, New York grew by only 51,000 over that time period. 
 
 Florida likely reached the milestone sometime last spring, but it wasn't official until the Census said so. 
 
 An Associated Press analysis earlier this year showed that ex-New Yorkers represented about 1 in 10 new Florida residents. Migrants from other countries made up about a quarter of Florida's new residents. 
 
 Florida has a way to go before it catches up with California and Texas, the largest and second-largest states. California has 38.8 million residents; Texas has 27 million residents. 
 
 The other states rounding out the 10 largest in the nation are: Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina and Michigan. North Carolina slipped by Michigan for the ninth spot on the list. 
 
 Six states saw population declines: Illinois, West Virginia, Connecticut, New Mexico, Alaska and Vermont. 
 
 Fueled by an energy boom, North Dakota was the fastest-growing state in the nation, even though it is still the fourth least-populous state in the union. Its population increased 2.2 percent and now stands at 739,000. The other fastest-growing states from 2013 to 2014 were Nevada and Texas, which both had population increases of 1.7 percent. ||||| Florida added an average of 803 new residents every day over the last year to become the nation’s third-most populous state, the U.S. Census Bureau said Tuesday. At almost 19.9 million residents, Florida has supplanted New York, which clocked in at 19.7 million residents. 
 
 New York’s growth has been much slower than that of the Sunshine State: Florida’s population grew by 293,000 over the year, while New York’s population expanded by just 51,000 residents. 
 
 Overall, the Census Bureau’s annual report showed the U.S. population increased by three-quarters of a percent between July 1, 2013 and July 1, 2014, to 318.9 million residents. 
 
 The report shows 44 states and the District of Columbia added population over the last year. Six states — Illinois, West Virginia, Connecticut, New Mexico, Alaska and Vermont — lost population over that period. Puerto Rico lost more of its population, 1.3 percent, or 47,000 residents, than any state. 
 
 The fastest-growing states were mostly in the West and the South, with the exception of North Dakota, where an energy boom is attracting new residents in droves. Of the nearly 2.4 million new U.S. residents, 2 million moved to the South and West, while about 300,000 live in Midwestern or Northeastern states. 
 
 North Dakota grew by almost 2.2 percent over the year, faster than any other state. Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Utah and Idaho all grew by more than 1.3 percent. 
 
 Texas added more residents than any other state, at 451,000. California, Florida and Georgia all saw their populations grow by six figures. For the first time in its history, Georgia surpassed the 10 million resident mark, joining Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, Florida, Texas and California as the only states with populations in the eight-figure range.
– The state known as America's Waiting Room is moving up in the ranks: According to Census data, Florida has officially deposed New York to become the third most populous state in the union, reports the Washington Post. The Sunshine State is now home to 19.9 million residents, compared to 19.7 million in the Empire State, but it's the difference in growth that's notable: Florida took in 293,000 new residents in the year ending July 1, or about 803 a day. New York managed just 51,000. Florida likely pushed past New York sometime in the spring, notes the AP, but it takes the Census to make it official. Interestingly and unsurprisingly, former New Yorkers make up about 10% of new Floridians. Other demographic nuggets, per the AP: Don't look for Florida to mess with Texas, America's No. 2 state with 27 million people, or No. 1 California's 38.8 million souls. The rest of the 10 most populous states: Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, and Michigan. Six states lost population: Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, New Mexico, Vermont, and West Virginia. North Dakota was the fastest-growing state, with a 2.2% jump that stood solidly on the shoulders of its energy boom. It's still the fourth least-populous state.