Apr 27, 2021
In this image from video provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, acting director of the U.S. Census Bureau Ron Jarmin speaks as a graphic showing the U.S. population as of April 1, 2020, is displayed during a virtual news conference Monday. The Census Bureau is releasing the first data from its 2020 headcount. (U.S. Census Bureau via AP)
The first batch of once-every-decade data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows a United States that is growing less quickly but still seeing its population shift to the South and the West.
The data released Monday was relatively basic containing national and state-level population figures and details of how they affect states’ representation in Congress. Still, it contained some surprises and pointed to some consequential trends.
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The first batch of data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows a country that is growing less quickly and seeing its population shift to the South and the West.
The data released Monday were relatively basic, containing national and state-level population figures and details of how they affect states’ representation in Congress. Still, the findings contained some surprises and pointed to some consequential trends.
Five takeaways from the new census data:
More sluggish growth ahead?
The U.S. population grew to 331 million, a 7.4% growth rate from the last time the Census Bureau counted every person in the country, in 2010. Those may sound like big numbers, but it’s actually the second-slowest rate of population growth the census has ever recorded, just behind the 7.3% growth in the 1930s.
MORE SLUGGISH GROWTH AHEAD?
The U.S. population grew to 331 million, a 7.4% growth rate from the last time the Census Bureau counted every person in the country, in 2010. Those may sound like big numbers, but it s actually the second slowest rate of population growth the census has ever recorded, just behind the 7.3% growth in the 1930s.
That decade s slowed growth was rooted in the Great Depression. Our past decade s sluggish rate had similar beginnings in the long shadow of the Great Recession. The drawn-out recovery saw many young adults struggling to enter the job market, delaying marriage and starting a family. That dealt a blow to the nation s birthrate. Then the pandemic hit last year and made matters worse.
The first batch of once-every-decade data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows a United States that is growing less quickly and but still seeing its population shift.