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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – The South and the West remain hot in more ways than a thermometer can measure.

Those two regions have a disproportionate number of the fastest-growing states in the country, according to the Census Bureau, which released its latest state population estimates on Thursday.

For the 19th straight year, Nevada was the fastest growing state. Its population rose 3.5 percent for the year ended at mid-year in 2005.

The population in Arizona, the No. 2 fastest growing state, grew at just under 3.5 percent. (see correction)

The other fastest growing states were Idaho (up 2.4%), Florida (up 2.3%) and Utah (up 2%), in the top five.

Much of the increase in the populations of the fastest growing states was due to migration of residents from elsewhere.

The Census findings are in keeping with a trend among home buyers and home owners to move away from high-priced markets to more moderately priced ones.

Atlanta, Dallas, Jacksonville, Phoenix and Portland, Oregon, have been highly desirable in this regard. (For more, click here.)

Overall, the population in the country as a whole rose 0.9 percent (or about 2.8 million people) to 296.4 million. More than half of that came from growth in five states: Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and Georgia.

The 10 most populous states, meanwhile, account for 54 percent of the U.S. population. The 2005 list contains many of the usual suspects: California, with 36.1 million people, followed by Texas, with 22.9 million people, and New York, with 19.3 million people.

The others in the list of the 10 most populous states are: Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Georgia and New Jersey.

The Census estimates were taken before Hurricane Katrina hit, so they do not reflect the migration of residents that occurred as a result of that storm.