No one would call the South the “loser” because it, too, gained in overall population. Both in relative and in absolute terms, the South was falling behind the North and the West, however.

The Old Dominion state increased from 1,421,000 to 1,596,000. This was more impressive than it seems because Virginia was losing population to other states in the South. South Carolina rose from 668,000 to 703,000, a rather small gain, all things considered. Only when one crossed the Appalachian Mountains into the wilder sections of the South did one see much population growth. Mississippi rose from 606,000 to 791,000, and Tennessee increased from 1,002,000 to 1,109,000. Alabama made a significant rise, from 771,000 to 964,000, and Texas rose from 212,000 to 604,000.