RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ The latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show Virginia’s population growth in 2014 was the 10th-largest in the country. According to the numbers released this week, Virginia gained 55,944 residents between July 2013 and July 2014. The state’s total population is estimated at more than 8.32 million. California remained the nation’s most populous state in 2014 with 38.8 million residents, followed by Texas at 27 million. The U.S. population increased by 2.4 million to 318.9 million. North Dakota was the fastest-growing state with a 2.2 percent increase. The state remains one of the least-populated but has seen a boom in the oil and gas industry. Six states lost population. Those were Illinois, West Virginia, Connecticut, New Mexico, Alaska and Vermont.
