Recent Census Data Releases

2020 Census Apportionment Results Delivered to the President

The U.S. Census Bureau just released the first look at the results from the 2020 Census. The U.S. population is now 331,449,281. The nation grew by 22,703,743 or 7.4% since 2010. This represents the second slowest decade of growth on record, just after 1930 to 1940 when the nation grew by 7.3%.

North Carolina’s official population in the 2020 Census was 10,439,388. This is an increase of 903,905 or 9.5% since 2010. North Carolina had the 6th largest increase among the states and was the 15th fastest-growing state. North Carolina gained a 14th seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Carolina Demography expected North Carolina's population to be somewhere between 10,550,000 and 10,580,000, based on estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau and population projections from the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management. The official census count is more than 100,000 fewer individuals than expected. Population estimates suggest that 43 of the state’s 100 counties may have lost population over the decade. However, we won’t know which counties lost population—and how many people—until the next release of 2020 Census data in August/September 2021. With the state population coming in lower than expected, we could see counties with larger than expected losses, slower than expected growth, or both.

The 2020 Census Apportionment population and number of representatives by state is available on the Census Bureau website, as well as the following resources and visualizations:

Census Bureau Reports & Briefs

The Census Bureau periodically releases reports and briefs across a variety of topics related to and using their demographic data products. The reports linked  below represent a sampling of those released by the Census Bureau to date in 2021.

2020 Census TIGER/Line Shapefiles Have Arrived

The Basics
The Census Bureau has released the 2020 Census Redistricting Data Geographic Support Products for all 50 states, including North Carolina. State and local governments use these products in their redistricting efforts.

The products contain newly created 2020 Census blocks and updated block groups, census tracts, voting districts, and current boundaries for legal governments and school districts referenced to January 1, 2020.

TJCOG Tips for Using the TIGER/Line Shapefiles

Census 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates Have Arrived

The Basics
The Census Bureau has released the 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, the most relied-on source for up-to-date social, economic, housing, and demographic information! This release marks a key milestone - three sets of 5-year estimates that do not overlap, providing a great tool to examine local trends. The ACS is the only source of local statistics for most of the 40+ topics it covers, such as educational attainment, occupation, and selected monthly homeowner costs.

The 5-year estimates are available for all geographic areas regardless of population size, down to the block-group level.

TJCOG Tips for Using the Census Data

  • Not sure how to search through the data and tables or want an easy way to look at your local information? Explore Narrative Profiles! Each covers 15 different topic areas and highlights estimates for specific geographic areas.
  • Want to see the most used social, economic, housing, and demographic data? Explore Data Profiles! Each summarizes a set of data characteristics for a single geographic.
  • Interested in learning about all the tools available? Go here.
Interested in Learning More?

Below are some related resources that can be found on the Census Bureau and its partners' websites, such as Blog Posts and Press Releases. 

2020 Census Apportionment Results

2020 Census Data Processing Updates

2020 Census Data Results