Pennsylvania Continues Modest Population Growth; Loses 1 House Seat
Pennsylvania’s resident population increased 2.4 percent since the last Decennial Census to 13,002,700 total persons, according to the official 2020 Census counts released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Commonwealth is now the fifth largest state in the nation.
Pennsylvania’s apportionment population, which includes those stationed overseas and their families, was 13,011,844 which was a 2.2% increase from Pennsylvania’s 2010 apportionment population (12,734,905). As a result, the number of legislators representing Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives will decline for the tenth straight census, declining by one seat in Congress and reducing the state’s total number to 17.
April 27, 2021 is the first release of 2020 Census data and includes only the official national and state population counts which are used to determine how many seats in the House of Representatives each state is entitled. The U.S. Constitution requires the U.S. Census Bureau to report these results to the President.
The apportionment population total, which includes U.S. Armed Forces personnel and federal civilian employees stationed outside the United States (and their dependents living with them), determines which states gain or lose representation in Congress. Texas realized the biggest increase in congressional seats, gaining two seats. A total of six states gained at least one seat, while seven states lost one or more seats.
The resident population of the United States increased to a total of 331,449,281, an increase of 7.4 percent during the last decade. This growth-rate is below the 9.7 percent increase from 2000 to 2010 and is the slowest rate since 1940. Among the states, Utah experienced the most rapid population growth over the last decade at 18.4 percent. West Virginia had the largest percentage decrease (-3.2 percent).
By September 30, 2021, the Director of the Census Bureau will, in accordance with Public Law (P.L.) 94-171, furnish the Governor and State legislative leaders with 2020 census population counts for state legislative districts, counties, municipalities, census tract, and other geographies. In addition to apportioning congressional seats and supporting each state’s redistricting process, data from the 2020 Census will influence how much state and federal funding communities receive over the course of the decade.
Access the data at: https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-apportionment-data.html