NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Arizona replaced longtime leader Nevada as the fastest-growing state in the union during the 12 months ended July 1, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The population of the Grand Canyon State grew 3.6 percent during that period. Nevada grew by 3.5 percent.

Rounding out the top five growers were Idaho ( 2.6 percent), Georgia and Texas (both 2.5 percent).

In absolute numbers, Texas was the biggest gainer. Its population increased by 579,275 during the period. Second was Florida, which gained 321,697 residents.

North Carolina, which gained 184,086 people, a 2.1 percent increase, passed New Jersey, which gained just 21,410 residents, to break into the 10 most populous states list.

That most populous list is topped by California with 36.5 million residents. About one of every eight Americans lives in the Golden State.

Regionally, the West grew faster than any other area, 1.5 percent. The South was next at 1.4 percent, with the Midwest third (0.4 percent) and the Northeast trailing (0.1 percent).

Louisiana lost residents in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Its population dropped by 219,563 people, or 4.9 percent.

Other states that lost residents were Rhode Island (minus 0.6 percent), the District of Columbia (down 0.09 percent), Michigan and New York (both down 0.05 percent). 

Fastest Growing States

State	Population 7/1/06	Population 7/1/05	Difference	% Change
Arizona	6,166,318	5,953,007	213,311	3.58%
Nevada	2,495,529	2,412,301	83,228	3.45%
Idaho	1,466,465	1,429,367	37,098	2.60%
Georgia	9,363,941	9,132,553	231,388	2.53%
Texas	23,507,783	22,928,508	579,275	2.53%
Utah	2,550,063	2,490,334	59,729	2.40%
North Carolina	8,856,505	8,672,459	184,046	2.12%
Colorado	4,753,377	4,663,295	90,082	1.93%
Florida	18,089,888	17,768,191	321,697	1.81%
South Carolina	4,321,249	4,246,933	74,316	1.75%
Oregon	3,700,758	3,638,871	61,887	1.70%
Washington	6,395,798	6,291,899	103,899	1.65%
New Mexico	1,954,599	1,925,985	28,614	1.49%
Delaware	853,476	841,741	11,735	1.39%
Tennessee	6,038,803	5,955,745	83,058	1.39%
Arkansas	2,810,872	2,775,708	35,164	1.27%
Wyoming	515,004	508,798	6,206	1.22%
Alabama	4,599,030	4,548,327	50,703	1.11%
Montana	944,632	934,737	9,895	1.06%
Virginia	7,642,884	7,564,327	78,557	1.04%
Alaska	670,053	663,253	6,800	1.03%
Oklahoma	3,579,212	3,543,442	35,770	1.01%
Hawaii	1,285,498	1,273,278	12,220	0.96%
South Dakota	781,919	774,883	7,036	0.91%
California	36,457,549	36,154,147	303,402	0.84%
Kentucky	4,206,074	4,172,608	33,466	0.80%
Minnesota	5,167,101	5,126,739	40,362	0.79%
Missouri	5,842,713	5,797,703	45,010	0.78%
Indiana	6,313,520	6,266,019	47,501	0.76%
New Hampshire	1,314,895	1,306,819	8,076	0.62%
Kansas	2,764,075	2,748,172	15,903	0.58%
Nebraska	1,768,331	1,758,163	10,168	0.58%
Iowa	2,982,085	2,965,524	16,561	0.56%
Wisconsin	5,556,506	5,527,644	28,862	0.52%
Illinois	12,831,970	12,765,427	66,543	0.52%
Maryland	5,615,727	5,589,599	26,128	0.47%
Pennsylvania	12,440,621	12,405,348	35,273	0.28%
New Jersey	8,724,560	8,703,150	21,410	0.25%
Maine	1,321,574	1,318,220	3,354	0.25%
West Virginia	1,818,470	1,814,083	4,387	0.24%
Vermont	623,908	622,387	1,521	0.24%
North Dakota	635,867	634,605	1,262	0.20%
Connecticut	3,504,809	3,500,701	4,108	0.12%
Mississippi	2,910,540	2,908,496	2,044	0.07%
Massachusetts	6,437,193	6,433,367	3,826	0.06%
Ohio	11,478,006	11,470,685	7,321	0.06%
New York	19,306,183	19,315,721	-9,538	-0.05%
Michigan	10,095,643	10,100,833	-5,190	-0.05%
District of Columbia	581,530	582,049	-519	-0.09%
Rhode Island	1,067,610	1,073,579	-5,969	-0.56%
Louisiana	4,287,768	4,507,331	-219,563	-4.87%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau