Minnesota has been outpacing Wisconsin in population growth for a few years.

Here's why. All data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau.

1. More babies are being born in Minnesota than Wisconsin, by a small margin.

2. More people are (not to put too fine a point on it) dying in Wisconsin.

3. And while both states are losing population to other states within the U.S...

4. ...Minnesota is attracting a lot more international migration.

5. So when you add up the higher number of births, lower number of deaths, lower losses to domestic migration and higher gains from international migration, Minnesota is adding twice as much population as Wisconsin.