A look at how the largest US counties gained or lost people

Several large, urban counties across the United States gained residents or stemmed population declines in the year ending last July after losing residents in the previous 12-month period amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimates released Thursday.

Population change is driven by migration, both within the U.S. as people move around inside the country, and from international trends as people arrive from abroad. It also depends on whether births outpace deaths, or vice versa.

Here's a look at what drove population change in the 10 largest U.S. counties from July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2022.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — The most populous county in the nation lost more than 90,000 residents last year and now has a population of 9.7 million people. Los Angeles County gained almost 34,000 residents from abroad and another 18,000 people from births outpacing deaths. But it wasn't enough to offset the almost 143,000 residents who left for another county. The loss from Angelenos moving elsewhere was 20% smaller than a year earlier.