United States Releases Results of 2010 Population Count

24 December 2010

Census Bureau Director Robert Groves announces results for the 2010 U.S. Census at the National Press Club.

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

This week, the United States Census Bureau released its official count of the nation’s population. It said the population, as of April first, was three hundred eight million, seven hundred forty-five thousand, five hundred thirty-eight.

The population increased nine point seven percent in ten years. This was the nation’s lowest growth rate since the nineteen thirties. Experts say this was a result of falling birth rates among some groups and fewer immigrants because of the recession.

Two states had the largest population increases. Texas gained more than four million people -- more than any other state. Nevada was the fastest growing state. Its population increased thirty-five percent from the last census in two thousand.

Across the country, the largest increases were in southern and western states. The population continues to move from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West. This has been happening for the past forty years.

The United States Constitution calls for a census of the nation’s population every ten years. This must be done to equally divide the four hundred thirty-five voting districts in the House of Representatives among the states. Each House member represents, on average, about seven hundred thousand people. The states with the biggest populations have more congressional seats than less populated states. The most populated state, California, has fifty-three House seats. The least populous, Wyoming, has only one seat.