Census population estimates for 2009 indicate that North Carolina continues to be one of the fastest-growing US states. Between the 2000 Census and July 1, 2009, the state's population grew by 16.5%, compared with the US growth rate of 8.1% (Table). As a result, the state's share of the national total rose from 2.77% to 3.06% during that period. The North Carolina total population of 9,380,884 in 2009 was enough to rank it as the 10th largest in the US, passing New Jersey in population between 2000 and 2009.