What Is the Census
The census is the count of every person living in the United States, taken every ten years as the Constitution requires. The count decides how many seats each state gets in the House, which also sets its electoral votes. It also steers federal money and gives every state the numbers it uses to draw voting districts.
Key facts
- The Constitution orders a count every ten years, and the 14th Amendment says it covers “the whole number of persons in each State” (Cornell LII).
- 7 House seats moved among 13 states after 2020 (Census Bureau).
- The 2020 count missed about 5 of every 100 Hispanic residents and 3 of every 100 Black residents (Census Bureau).
- Census Bureau data helped guide more than $2.8 trillion in federal spending in fiscal 2021 (Census Bureau).
- A September 2026 proposal would leave out everyone but citizens and green card holders when seats are divided (Federal Register).
There is no full national census in 2026. The next one counts everyone as of April 1, 2030. The Census Bureau runs a small practice count in 2026, and its yearly American Community Survey goes to a sample of homes. A Census Bureau letter in 2026 comes from one of these or from another of the Bureau’s surveys, not a national count.
Answering is required, and your answers stay private. Federal law sets a fine of up to $100 for refusing to answer (13 U.S.C. 221), and a later sentencing law raised the cap for that kind of offense to $5,000 (18 U.S.C. 3571). The same census law lets the Bureau use your answers only for statistics, bars anyone outside the Bureau from seeing them, and keeps them out of court (13 U.S.C. 9). A census worker who discloses them faces up to five years in prison (13 U.S.C. 214) and a fine of up to $250,000 under the sentencing law.
- 435
- House seats divided by the count
- 7
- Seats that changed states after 2020
- $2.8T
- Federal funds guided by census data, fiscal 2021
- 2.79%
- Of children under 5 missed in 2020
How the Count Becomes House Seats and Electoral Votes
Every state gets one House seat, and the census decides who gets the other 385. The House has had 435 seats since 1913, and a 1929 law made that number permanent. The Census Bureau hands them out with a formula called the method of equal proportions, which ranks each state’s claim to its next seat by a “priority value.” The claim with the highest value wins the next seat, and so on down the list until seat 435.
The last seat shows how close the count can be. In 2020, seat 435 went to Minnesota. New York held the next claim in line, and by the Census Bureau’s own priority values it was 89 residents short of taking that seat. If Minnesota had counted 26 fewer people, the seat would have gone to New York. Ohio missed its next seat by 11,462.
A state’s electoral votes equal its House seats plus its two senators, so every seat that moves also moves a presidential vote. Our Electoral College explainer shows how the 2020 count set the map for 2024 and 2028.
The same count sets the size of each district. Each seat averaged 761,169 residents after 2020, but seats cannot cross state lines, so the numbers vary. Delaware’s single member represents 990,837 people, and each of Montana’s two represents 542,704. Inside each state, lawmakers use the count’s block-level data to draw districts of equal size. That is where redistricting and gerrymandering begin.
What the 2020 Count Did to Your State
13 states gained or lost seats, and the shift ran from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West. Texas gained two. 5 states gained one, and 7 states lost one. Choose your state to see its seats, its electoral votes and how many people each of its members represents.
Your state's House seats after the 2020 census
Choose your state to see its seats, what changed after 2020, its electoral votes, and residents per seat, from the Census Bureau's apportionment table.
Alabama
- House seats
- 7 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 5,030,053
- Electoral votes
- 9 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 718,579 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Alaska
- House seats
- 1 House seat. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 736,081
- Electoral votes
- 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 736,081 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Arizona
- House seats
- 9 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 7,158,923
- Electoral votes
- 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 795,436 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Arkansas
- House seats
- 4 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 3,013,756
- Electoral votes
- 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 753,439 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
California
- House seats
- 52 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 39,576,757
- Electoral votes
- 54 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 761,091 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Colorado
- House seats
- 8 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 5,782,171
- Electoral votes
- 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 722,771 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Connecticut
- House seats
- 5 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 3,608,298
- Electoral votes
- 7 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 721,660 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Delaware
- House seats
- 1 House seat. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 990,837
- Electoral votes
- 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 990,837 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
District of Columbia
- House seats
- No voting seat. D.C. elects one nonvoting delegate.
- Electoral votes
- 3 electoral votes, set by the 23rd Amendment
- Residents per seat
- Not apportioned. The count still guides D.C.'s federal funding.
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Florida
- House seats
- 28 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 21,570,527
- Electoral votes
- 30 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 770,376 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Georgia
- House seats
- 14 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 10,725,274
- Electoral votes
- 16 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 766,091 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Hawaii
- House seats
- 2 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 1,460,137
- Electoral votes
- 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 730,069 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Idaho
- House seats
- 2 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 1,841,377
- Electoral votes
- 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 920,689 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Illinois
- House seats
- 17 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 12,822,739
- Electoral votes
- 19 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 754,279 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Indiana
- House seats
- 9 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 6,790,280
- Electoral votes
- 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 754,476 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Iowa
- House seats
- 4 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 3,192,406
- Electoral votes
- 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 798,102 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Kansas
- House seats
- 4 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 2,940,865
- Electoral votes
- 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 735,216 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Kentucky
- House seats
- 6 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 4,509,342
- Electoral votes
- 8 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 751,557 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Louisiana
- House seats
- 6 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 4,661,468
- Electoral votes
- 8 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 776,911 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Maine
- House seats
- 2 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 1,363,582
- Electoral votes
- 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 681,791 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Maryland
- House seats
- 8 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 6,185,278
- Electoral votes
- 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 773,160 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Massachusetts
- House seats
- 9 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 7,033,469
- Electoral votes
- 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 781,497 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Michigan
- House seats
- 13 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 10,084,442
- Electoral votes
- 15 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 775,726 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Minnesota
- House seats
- 8 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 5,709,752
- Electoral votes
- 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 713,719 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Mississippi
- House seats
- 4 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 2,963,914
- Electoral votes
- 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 740,979 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Missouri
- House seats
- 8 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 6,160,281
- Electoral votes
- 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 770,035 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Montana
- House seats
- 2 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 1,085,407
- Electoral votes
- 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 542,704 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Nebraska
- House seats
- 3 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 1,963,333
- Electoral votes
- 5 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 654,444 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Nevada
- House seats
- 4 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 3,108,462
- Electoral votes
- 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 777,116 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
New Hampshire
- House seats
- 2 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 1,379,089
- Electoral votes
- 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 689,545 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
New Jersey
- House seats
- 12 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 9,294,493
- Electoral votes
- 14 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 774,541 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
New Mexico
- House seats
- 3 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 2,120,220
- Electoral votes
- 5 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 706,740 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
New York
- House seats
- 26 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 20,215,751
- Electoral votes
- 28 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 777,529 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
North Carolina
- House seats
- 14 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 10,453,948
- Electoral votes
- 16 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 746,711 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
North Dakota
- House seats
- 1 House seat. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 779,702
- Electoral votes
- 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 779,702 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Ohio
- House seats
- 15 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 11,808,848
- Electoral votes
- 17 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 787,257 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Oklahoma
- House seats
- 5 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 3,963,516
- Electoral votes
- 7 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 792,703 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Oregon
- House seats
- 6 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 4,241,500
- Electoral votes
- 8 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 706,917 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Pennsylvania
- House seats
- 17 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 13,011,844
- Electoral votes
- 19 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 765,403 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Rhode Island
- House seats
- 2 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 1,098,163
- Electoral votes
- 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 549,082 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
South Carolina
- House seats
- 7 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 5,124,712
- Electoral votes
- 9 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 732,102 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
South Dakota
- House seats
- 1 House seat. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 887,770
- Electoral votes
- 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 887,770 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Tennessee
- House seats
- 9 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 6,916,897
- Electoral votes
- 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 768,544 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Texas
- House seats
- 38 House seats. Gained 2 seats after 2020. Apportionment population 29,183,290
- Electoral votes
- 40 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 767,981 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Utah
- House seats
- 4 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 3,275,252
- Electoral votes
- 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 818,813 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Vermont
- House seats
- 1 House seat. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 643,503
- Electoral votes
- 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 643,503 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Virginia
- House seats
- 11 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 8,654,542
- Electoral votes
- 13 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 786,777 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Washington
- House seats
- 10 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 7,715,946
- Electoral votes
- 12 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 771,595 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
West Virginia
- House seats
- 2 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. Apportionment population 1,795,045
- Electoral votes
- 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 897,523 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Wisconsin
- House seats
- 8 House seats. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 5,897,473
- Electoral votes
- 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 737,184 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Wyoming
- House seats
- 1 House seat. No change after 2020. Apportionment population 577,719
- Electoral votes
- 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028
- Residents per seat
- 577,719 residents per House seat The national average is 761,169
Verified September 26, 2026. These numbers are fixed until the 2030 census; your state's redistricting body has the current district maps.
Seats and populations are the official 2020 apportionment. They stay in force until the 2030 count.
Seats gained or lost after 2020
- Gained 2 seats (1 state)
- Gained 1 seat (5 states)
- No change (37 states)
- Lost 1 seat (7 states)
- D.C. (no voting seat)
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Table 1: Apportionment Population and Number of Representatives by State, 2020 Census; U.S. Census Bureau, Priority Values for 2020 Census Apportionment. Verified September 26, 2026.
| State | House seats | Electoral votes | Residents per seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7 House seats. No change after 2020. | 9 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 718,579 residents per House seat |
| Alaska | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 736,081 residents per House seat |
| Arizona | 9 House seats. No change after 2020. | 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 795,436 residents per House seat |
| Arkansas | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 753,439 residents per House seat |
| California | 52 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 54 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 761,091 residents per House seat |
| Colorado | 8 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 722,771 residents per House seat |
| Connecticut | 5 House seats. No change after 2020. | 7 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 721,660 residents per House seat |
| Delaware | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 990,837 residents per House seat |
| District of Columbia | No voting seat. D.C. elects one nonvoting delegate. | 3 electoral votes, set by the 23rd Amendment | Not apportioned. The count still guides D.C.'s federal funding. |
| Florida | 28 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 30 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 770,376 residents per House seat |
| Georgia | 14 House seats. No change after 2020. | 16 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 766,091 residents per House seat |
| Hawaii | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 730,069 residents per House seat |
| Idaho | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 920,689 residents per House seat |
| Illinois | 17 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 19 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 754,279 residents per House seat |
| Indiana | 9 House seats. No change after 2020. | 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 754,476 residents per House seat |
| Iowa | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 798,102 residents per House seat |
| Kansas | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 735,216 residents per House seat |
| Kentucky | 6 House seats. No change after 2020. | 8 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 751,557 residents per House seat |
| Louisiana | 6 House seats. No change after 2020. | 8 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 776,911 residents per House seat |
| Maine | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 681,791 residents per House seat |
| Maryland | 8 House seats. No change after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 773,160 residents per House seat |
| Massachusetts | 9 House seats. No change after 2020. | 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 781,497 residents per House seat |
| Michigan | 13 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 15 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 775,726 residents per House seat |
| Minnesota | 8 House seats. No change after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 713,719 residents per House seat |
| Mississippi | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 740,979 residents per House seat |
| Missouri | 8 House seats. No change after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 770,035 residents per House seat |
| Montana | 2 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 542,704 residents per House seat |
| Nebraska | 3 House seats. No change after 2020. | 5 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 654,444 residents per House seat |
| Nevada | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 777,116 residents per House seat |
| New Hampshire | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 689,545 residents per House seat |
| New Jersey | 12 House seats. No change after 2020. | 14 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 774,541 residents per House seat |
| New Mexico | 3 House seats. No change after 2020. | 5 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 706,740 residents per House seat |
| New York | 26 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 28 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 777,529 residents per House seat |
| North Carolina | 14 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 16 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 746,711 residents per House seat |
| North Dakota | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 779,702 residents per House seat |
| Ohio | 15 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 17 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 787,257 residents per House seat |
| Oklahoma | 5 House seats. No change after 2020. | 7 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 792,703 residents per House seat |
| Oregon | 6 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 8 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 706,917 residents per House seat |
| Pennsylvania | 17 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 19 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 765,403 residents per House seat |
| Rhode Island | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 549,082 residents per House seat |
| South Carolina | 7 House seats. No change after 2020. | 9 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 732,102 residents per House seat |
| South Dakota | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 887,770 residents per House seat |
| Tennessee | 9 House seats. No change after 2020. | 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 768,544 residents per House seat |
| Texas | 38 House seats. Gained 2 seats after 2020. | 40 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 767,981 residents per House seat |
| Utah | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 818,813 residents per House seat |
| Vermont | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 643,503 residents per House seat |
| Virginia | 11 House seats. No change after 2020. | 13 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 786,777 residents per House seat |
| Washington | 10 House seats. No change after 2020. | 12 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 771,595 residents per House seat |
| West Virginia | 2 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 897,523 residents per House seat |
| Wisconsin | 8 House seats. No change after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 737,184 residents per House seat |
| Wyoming | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 577,719 residents per House seat |
See all states in a table
| Alabama | 7 House seats. No change after 2020. | 9 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 718,579 residents per House seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 736,081 residents per House seat |
| Arizona | 9 House seats. No change after 2020. | 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 795,436 residents per House seat |
| Arkansas | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 753,439 residents per House seat |
| California | 52 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 54 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 761,091 residents per House seat |
| Colorado | 8 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 722,771 residents per House seat |
| Connecticut | 5 House seats. No change after 2020. | 7 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 721,660 residents per House seat |
| Delaware | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 990,837 residents per House seat |
| District of Columbia | No voting seat. D.C. elects one nonvoting delegate. | 3 electoral votes, set by the 23rd Amendment | Not apportioned. The count still guides D.C.'s federal funding. |
| Florida | 28 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 30 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 770,376 residents per House seat |
| Georgia | 14 House seats. No change after 2020. | 16 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 766,091 residents per House seat |
| Hawaii | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 730,069 residents per House seat |
| Idaho | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 920,689 residents per House seat |
| Illinois | 17 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 19 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 754,279 residents per House seat |
| Indiana | 9 House seats. No change after 2020. | 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 754,476 residents per House seat |
| Iowa | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 798,102 residents per House seat |
| Kansas | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 735,216 residents per House seat |
| Kentucky | 6 House seats. No change after 2020. | 8 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 751,557 residents per House seat |
| Louisiana | 6 House seats. No change after 2020. | 8 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 776,911 residents per House seat |
| Maine | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 681,791 residents per House seat |
| Maryland | 8 House seats. No change after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 773,160 residents per House seat |
| Massachusetts | 9 House seats. No change after 2020. | 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 781,497 residents per House seat |
| Michigan | 13 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 15 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 775,726 residents per House seat |
| Minnesota | 8 House seats. No change after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 713,719 residents per House seat |
| Mississippi | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 740,979 residents per House seat |
| Missouri | 8 House seats. No change after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 770,035 residents per House seat |
| Montana | 2 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 542,704 residents per House seat |
| Nebraska | 3 House seats. No change after 2020. | 5 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 654,444 residents per House seat |
| Nevada | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 777,116 residents per House seat |
| New Hampshire | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 689,545 residents per House seat |
| New Jersey | 12 House seats. No change after 2020. | 14 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 774,541 residents per House seat |
| New Mexico | 3 House seats. No change after 2020. | 5 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 706,740 residents per House seat |
| New York | 26 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 28 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 777,529 residents per House seat |
| North Carolina | 14 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 16 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 746,711 residents per House seat |
| North Dakota | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 779,702 residents per House seat |
| Ohio | 15 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 17 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 787,257 residents per House seat |
| Oklahoma | 5 House seats. No change after 2020. | 7 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 792,703 residents per House seat |
| Oregon | 6 House seats. Gained 1 seat after 2020. | 8 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 706,917 residents per House seat |
| Pennsylvania | 17 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 19 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 765,403 residents per House seat |
| Rhode Island | 2 House seats. No change after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 549,082 residents per House seat |
| South Carolina | 7 House seats. No change after 2020. | 9 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 732,102 residents per House seat |
| South Dakota | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 887,770 residents per House seat |
| Tennessee | 9 House seats. No change after 2020. | 11 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 768,544 residents per House seat |
| Texas | 38 House seats. Gained 2 seats after 2020. | 40 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 767,981 residents per House seat |
| Utah | 4 House seats. No change after 2020. | 6 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 818,813 residents per House seat |
| Vermont | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 643,503 residents per House seat |
| Virginia | 11 House seats. No change after 2020. | 13 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 786,777 residents per House seat |
| Washington | 10 House seats. No change after 2020. | 12 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 771,595 residents per House seat |
| West Virginia | 2 House seats. Lost 1 seat after 2020. | 4 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 897,523 residents per House seat |
| Wisconsin | 8 House seats. No change after 2020. | 10 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 737,184 residents per House seat |
| Wyoming | 1 House seat. No change after 2020. | 3 electoral votes in 2024 and 2028 | 577,719 residents per House seat |
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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Table 1: Apportionment Population and Number of Representatives by State, 2020 Census; U.S. Census Bureau, Priority Values for 2020 Census Apportionment. Verified September 26, 2026.
Who the Count Misses
The census never counts everyone once, and it misses the same groups decade after decade. After each count, the Census Bureau runs a second, independent survey of sampled blocks, the Post-Enumeration Survey, and compares the results. The gap is the net coverage error. Overall, the 2020 count came within a quarter of a percent of the true total, but that average hides a split. Hispanic, Black and Native residents, renters and young children were undercounted. White and Asian residents and homeowners were counted more than once or in the wrong place.
The split widened between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic undercount was 3.3 times as large as a decade earlier. The Asian population had no statistically significant error in 2010 and an overcount of 2.62% in 2020.
| Group | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | -1.5% | -5.0% | −3.5 pts |
| American Indian, on reservations | -4.9% | -5.6% | −0.7 pts |
| Black or African American | -2.1% | -3.3% | −1.2 pts |
| Renters | -1.1% | -1.5% | −0.4 pts |
| Non-Hispanic white | 0.8% | 1.6% | +0.8 pts |
| Asian | -0.1% | 2.6% | +2.7 pts |
Net coverage error, percent of each group. Every 2020 figure shown is statistically significant. Sources: Census Bureau, Post-Enumeration Survey estimates, May 22, 2012 (CB12-95); Census Bureau, Post-Enumeration Survey estimates, March 10, 2022.
The missed people are not spread evenly across the map, so neither is the damage. A neighborhood counted short gets fewer residents on paper for its district and a smaller share of funding for ten years. Children under 5 had a net undercount of 2.79%; the Census Bureau says young children “are persistently undercounted in the decennial census.” Renters had a net undercount of 1.48%, while homeowners were overcounted by 0.43%. Men aged 18 to 29 were undercounted by 2.25%, and women 50 and older were overcounted by 2.63%.
The Federal Money the Count Steers
Census Bureau data helped direct more than $2.8 trillion in federal spending in fiscal 2021, across at least 353 programs. That is the Census Bureau’s own estimate, published in 2023, and it includes more than $700 billion for COVID-19 programs that year. The 20 largest programs made up about 90% of it, and they fund health care, nutrition, highways, housing, school lunches and child care. Many formulas use population or income counts that trace back to the census, so a state counted short can lose money every year until the next count.
That is also why the fight over who counts is a fight over money. A change that shrinks one state’s count shifts formula dollars to others for a decade. Our federalism explainer shows how much of each state’s budget comes from Washington.
Past Fights Over Who Gets Counted
Who counts has been contested since the first census, and the courts have drawn most of the lines. The Constitution’s first formula counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person. The 14th Amendment replaced it with “the whole number of persons in each State.” After the 1920 census, Congress failed to reapportion the House at all, the only decade that happened, and a 1929 law made the division automatic. In 1999 the Supreme Court barred statistical sampling for dividing seats. In 2019 it blocked a citizenship question. In 2020 it set aside, as premature, a plan to drop undocumented immigrants from the count.
- Three-fifths clause written into the Constitution Enslaved people counted as three-fifths of a person for seats.
- 14th Amendment counts every person "The whole number of persons in each State," excluding "Indians not taxed."
- Seat division made automatic at 435 Passed after Congress skipped reapportionment following the 1920 count.
- Sampling barred for dividing seats Department of Commerce v. U.S. House of Representatives. (source)
- Citizenship question blocked The Court called the government's stated reason "contrived." (source)
- Plan to drop undocumented immigrants set aside Trump v. New York: premature to decide; revoked in January 2021. (source)
- Rule proposed to exclude noncitizens Only citizens and green card holders would count for seats.
How the rules for counting changed: 1787: Three-fifths clause written into the Constitution (Enslaved people counted as three-fifths of a person for seats.). 1868: 14th Amendment counts every person ("The whole number of persons in each State," excluding "Indians not taxed."). 1929: Seat division made automatic at 435 (Passed after Congress skipped reapportionment following the 1920 count.). 1999: Sampling barred for dividing seats (Department of Commerce v. U.S. House of Representatives.). 2019: Citizenship question blocked (The Court called the government's stated reason "contrived."). 2020: Plan to drop undocumented immigrants set aside (Trump v. New York: premature to decide; revoked in January 2021.). 2026: Rule proposed to exclude noncitizens (Only citizens and green card holders would count for seats.).
1787: The Constitution’s apportionment clause counted “three fifths of all other Persons,” meaning enslaved people, which gave slaveholding states extra seats.
1868: The 14th Amendment replaced that formula with “the whole number of persons in each State.” Our 14th Amendment explainer covers the rest of Section 2.
1929: After the 1920 census showed people moving to cities, Congress deadlocked and never reapportioned that decade. The 1929 law kept the House at 435 seats and made the division automatic after each count.
1999: In Department of Commerce v. U.S. House of Representatives, the Court held that the Census Act bars statistical sampling to set the counts that divide House seats. The Post-Enumeration Survey measures errors, but it cannot be used to fix them for seats.
2019: In Department of Commerce v. New York, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for a 5-4 majority that the stated reason for adding a citizenship question, enforcing the Voting Rights Act, “seems to have been contrived.” The question stayed off the 2020 form.
2020: A July 2020 memorandum ordered undocumented immigrants left out of the seat count. In Trump v. New York, the Court dismissed the challenge in December as premature, and President Biden revoked the memorandum on January 20, 2021.
2026: The Commerce Department proposed a rule on September 10, 2026 that would count only citizens and lawful permanent residents for seats, covered in the next section.
The 2030 Census Fight in 2026
The Census Bureau has proposed a rule that would leave most noncitizens out of the count used to divide House seats. On August 7, 2025, President Trump directed the Commerce Department to begin work on a census that excludes undocumented immigrants (NPR). The proposed rule published September 10, 2026 goes further. It would count citizens and lawful permanent residents, and drop from the seat count everyone else, including people with temporary legal status. Its text says people without durable status lack “a sufficient tie and allegiance to the United States.” Public comments close October 13, 2026.
The same proposal would bar any question about race, ethnicity or sexual orientation from the census form. KFF notes that block-level census data on race and ethnicity have long been used to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and that the change would affect health data too (KFF).
Where the fights over the 2030 count stand
As of October 6, 2026
- Rule to exclude most noncitizens from the seat count Proposal, comments close Oct. 13
Published September 10, 2026 (91 FR 57524). Counts citizens and lawful permanent residents for apportionment and no one else. (source)
- Ban on race, ethnicity and sexual orientation questions Proposal, same rule
Bars race, ethnicity and sexual orientation questions from the form. Biological sex, date of birth and household relationships may be asked, and they are the only demographic questions a person would have to answer. (source)
- Presidential directive for a census without undocumented immigrants Agency action, August 2025
Directed the Commerce Department to begin the work. The September 2026 rule is the first formal step. (source)
- Missouri lawsuit to exclude noncitizens Ended, dropped
Missouri's attorney general dropped the federal suit on September 18, 2026. (source)
- 2026 Census Test, the rehearsal for 2030 Agency action, cut to 2 sites
Cut from six sites to two, Huntsville, Alabama and Spartanburg, South Carolina, with 10 of 19 planned activities reduced or dropped. GAO warned in June 2026 that untested designs raise cost and quality risks. (source)
No court has ruled on whether the exclusion is legal. The 14th Amendment’s text says “the whole number of persons in each State.” The proposed rule traces “usual residence” to the 1790 Census Act’s “usual place of abode” and argues the concept has always carried “an element of allegiance.” In 2020 the Supreme Court decided only that the challenge to the earlier plan came too early.
The Argument Over Who Should Count
Both sides of the exclusion fight make a representation argument. The proposed rule says people in the country illegally “are not true inhabitants, members of the body politic, or persons with a ‘usual residence’ in the United States.” Opponents point to the 14th Amendment’s “whole number of persons,” and KFF notes the rule would leave out millions of noncitizens, including lawfully present immigrants.
A few distinctions keep the argument honest:
- Asking a question is not the same as excluding people. The long-form American Community Survey already asks about citizenship. The 2019 case was about adding it to the form everyone fills out, and the Court ruled on the government’s reasons, not on whether the question is ever allowed.
- The undercount and the exclusion are different problems. The undercount is error the Bureau tries to shrink, while the proposal would leave people out on purpose, so only one is a policy choice even though both shift seats and money.
- Seats and money follow different rules. The proposal addresses the seat count. Many funding formulas use other Census Bureau data and would not change automatically.
- Accuracy fights cross party lines. Utah sued after the 2000 count over how the Bureau filled in missing households, and lost in the Supreme Court in Utah v. Evans (2002).
Is there a 2026 census?
No. The next full census counts everyone as of April 1, 2030. In 2026 the Census Bureau is running a small test in two areas, Huntsville, Alabama and Spartanburg, South Carolina, and its American Community Survey reaches a sample of homes every year.
What happens if you don't fill out the census?
Federal law makes answering required. The census law sets a fine of up to $100 for refusing, and a later federal sentencing law raised the cap to $5,000. People who do not answer get follow-up mail and visits from census takers.
Can the Census Bureau share my answers with ICE or the police?
No. Title 13 of the U.S. Code bars the Census Bureau from sharing your individual answers with any other agency, including immigration and law enforcement, and they cannot be used against you in court. Employees who leak them face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
What You Can Do
- Comment on the proposed census rule by October 13, 2026. The Federal Register notice has a comment button. Say in your own words whether everyone who lives here should count, and what the loss of race data would mean for your community.
- Answer the American Community Survey if it reaches you. It is the Census Bureau’s yearly sample, and its numbers feed many of the same funding formulas.
- Ask your state and city about their 2030 plans. Many states and cities set up Complete Count Committees before 2020 to reach the groups most often missed. Ask your governor’s office and city council whether one is planned for 2030 and whether it has a budget.
- Ask Congress to fund the census on time. The 2030 count depends on tests that were cut this year. Use our guide to writing your representative to ask your members of Congress to fund the Census Bureau’s 2030 tests and to protect a count of every resident.