US has its slowest population growth on record this year due to pandemic, officials say

The U.S. had its slowest population growth on record this year.

New Census Bureau figures released yesterday show the population grew in 2021 by some 392,000 people.

It's the first time since 1937 that the U.S. population grew by fewer than one million people.

Officials say while population growth has been slowing in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic is what really affected overall growth.

A new federal report also found life expectancy in the U.S. decreased by nearly two years in 2020, falling to 77 years old.

This is also mainly due to the pandemic.