WASHINGTON (AP) — The first numbers from the 2020 census are out and they show that America’s population growth has declined to its slowest rate since the Great Depression — a total now of just under 331.5 million.
At the same time, the nation’s political center of gravity has kept shifting farther to the Republican-led South and West.
Texas, Florida and other Sunbelt states are gaining congressional seats as chillier climes like New York and Ohio lose them.
One historic Western exception: California is losing a seat for the first time ever.
In South Dakota, the state’s population increased 8.9% and ranked the 16th-highest in the nation.
South Dakota’s population increase by 72,487 people since 2010, bringing the total to 886,667.
It remained the fifth-least populated state in the United States.
South Dakota’s growth rate outpaced neighboring states like Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.
Northern neighbor North Dakota recorded the region’s highest percentage growth of 15.8%.
In South Dakota, a committee of lawmakers will determine new state legislative districts based on detailed Census data set to be released later this year.
While some states lost or gained House seats with their new numbers, South Dakota’s number of representatives stayed the same.
