Census Bureau Releases Population and Apportionment Data

Earlier today, the Census Bureau announced the total U.S. population, each state's population, and the new number of representatives each state will have in the 113th Congress. This map (also at the left) shows which states gained and lost seats based on the data. Here are a few highlights from the release:

• The resident population of the U.S. on April 1, 2010 was 308,745,538, an increase of 9.7% from the 2000 resident population.
  
• The most populous state was California with 37,253,956 people.
• The least populous was Wyoming with 563,626 people.
• Texas gained the most numerically since the 2000 Census, while Nevada gained the most as a percentage of its 2000 Census count.
• Much of the population increase came in the South and West.
  

When the first Census was conducted in 1790, each member of the House represented about 34,000 residents. Since then, the House has more than quadrupled in size, with each member now representing about 21 times as many constituents.

The Census Bureau will be distributing demographic data to states in February and March, which they will then use to redistrict based on population shifts and the new apportionment numbers.

(Image Source)

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