Illinois population underestimated in 2020 census

ROCKFORD — The population of Lincoln Country is apparently not decreasing.

Indeed, a new report from the United States Census Bureau suggests that Illinois’ population was underestimated by nearly 2% in the 2020 census and may have actually increased by more than 250,000 since 2010.

The Census Bureau on Thursday released estimated undercount and overcount rates for the 2020 census from its post-count survey, which is designed to determine the accuracy of its 10-year tally.

This latest report does not replace the 2020 initial census numbers and has no impact on congressional redistribution.

After:How is Illinois doing? Here’s what the 2020 census data tells us

“The release of these post-count survey estimates helps us understand how successful we have been this decade, state by state, in our efforts to count everyone living in the United States,” said the director of the Census Bureau, Robert L. Santos, in a press release. . “Transparency is an essential aspect of scientific integrity. This is why we communicate these results to the public.

The official 2020 census reported that Illinois’ population fell 0.1% to 12,812,508. Illinois lost a congressional seat in the wake of the decline and now has 17 representatives in the state House -United.

The post-enumeration survey indicates that Illinois’ population grew 1.9%, surpassing 13 million people for the first time in state history.

“While it is disappointing that these numbers were not reflected in the initial tally, I have already spoken to members of our congressional delegation and will work tirelessly to ensure that Illinois receives its fair share of funding. federal,” Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement. “I look forward to celebrating this development with all Illinoisans, including those who regularly disparage our state.”

The 2020 census reflected population losses for major cities in Illinois.

The people of Rockford decreased from 4,216 to 148,655 between 2010 and 2020. Rockford is the fifth largest city in the state behind Chicago, Aurora, Joliet, and Naperville.

Springfield’s population decreased from 1,856 to 114,394, making it the seventh largest city in Illinois.

The eighth largest city in the state, Peoria, saw its population drop from 1,857 to 113,150.

With new data suggesting the state has added more than 250,000 people, there is no information on city increases.

Illinois is one of six states whose population was undercounted in the 2020 census, according to post-census survey results. The others are Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

The populations of Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Utah were overestimated in the last census, according to the survey.

“Achieving an accurate count for all 50 states and the District of Columbia is always a difficult undertaking, and these results suggest that it has again been difficult in 2020, especially given the unprecedented challenges we have faced,” said said Santos. “It is important to remember that the quality of the total population count from the 2020 census is robust and consistent with that of other recent censuses. However, we know there is still work to be done in planning for future censuses to ensure equitable coverage across the United States and we are working to overcome all obstacles to achieve this goal.

Ken DeCoster: [email protected]; @DeCosterKen