Census data released

The results of the recently-completed 2010 Census were released yesterday by the Census Bureau, which (as always) has some interesting data and even more interesting implications. This table breaks out the nation's population change over the last decade by region and by state, revealing trends that are both surprising (Idaho +21.1%?) and not-so-surprising (Michigan -0.6%).

As the above table shows, the majority of U.S. population growth was concentrated in the South and West, with those regions greatly outpacing the growth rates in the Northeast and Midwest. As a result, Texas and Florida will gain 4 and 2 seats, respectively, in the House of Representatives--mostly at the expense of New York and Ohio, who will each lose 2 seats. How you feel about this unmistakable shift to the South is, most likely, largely a result of where you're from.

Other states losing seats include Louisiana, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, while states gaining seats include Washington, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Georgia and South Carolina. This of course reflects the broader shift from Midwest/Northeast to South/West. For better or worse, the changes of these 12 seats will undoubtedly have some impact on our Congress over the next 10 years (or beyond).

[Census.gov]