The U.S. Census Bureau today released the 2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File to states and the public in an easier-to-use format.
These data are now available on data.census.gov. They are identical to those released Aug. 12 on the Census Bureau’s FTP site and in various data visualizations.
The Census Bureau has also delivered to states an easy-to-use toolkit of DVDs and flash drives with integrated browsing software to use in redrawing their congressional and state legislative district boundaries.
Topics in both formats include 2020 Census population counts by race, Hispanic origin, voting age and housing unit data for counties, places, census tracts and blocks.
“We are excited to be able to provide these data to the public in a format that’s easier to use,” said acting Census Bureau Director Ron Jarmin.
Data users can now access redistricting data with demographic information for cities and towns without downloading the FTP files.
America’s Composition of Cities: Change Since 2010
The nation’s composition remains a mix of big cities and small cities. Only 4.1% (787) of all U.S. cities had a population of 50,000 or more in 2020. On the other hand, of the 19,320 cities in the United States that were incorporated in both 2010 and 2020, around 75.5% (14,591) had fewer than 5,000 people as of April 1, 2020.
Overall, large cities with 2020 populations of 50,000 or more grew at a faster pace in the South than in any other region. Since the 2010 Census, the population living in large cities in the South increased by 12.3%. In comparison, the population living in large cities in the West grew by 10.4%, while those in the Northeast and Midwest grew by 6.8% and 4.8%, respectively.
On average, the population living in small cities — those with fewer than 5,000 people in 2020 — has had slow or negative growth from 2010 to 2020:
- Western small cities saw growth with an increase of 1.4%.
- Southern small cities declined by 0.3%.
- Midwestern small cities declined by 0.9%.
- Northeastern small cities declined by 1.9%.
Cities that were incorporated in 2010 and 2020 with a 2020 population of 50,000 or more (Excel) contained 129.2 million people out of the nation’s 331.4 million. Of all the people who live in incorporated places, 62.2% live in these big cities.
Accessing Statistics on Data.census.gov
This is the first 2020 Census data release available on the Census Bureau’s data dissemination platform, data.census.gov. The site allows data users to search geographies down to the block level and access data through tables, maps and downloads. Data users can also access a geography, such as a state, county or place, in a geographic profile with visualizations and infographics to provide an overview on a specific area.
Features of data.census.gov include:
- Data tables: Users can select geographies, sort by topic, or add any other applicable filters. Data can be reordered, pinned, and hidden with drag and drop functionality. Included are the following tables:
- P1. Race
- P2. Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race
- P3. Race for the Population 18 Years and Over
- P4. Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race for the Population 18 Years and Over
- P5. Group Quarters Population by Major Group Quarters Type
- H1. Occupancy Status
- Mapping: Data users can display data across collections of geographies in a thematic map for a more visual representation.
- Data downloads: Users can download multiple tables for 2020 and 2010 censuses at the same time for easier reference.
Instructional videos on accessing 2020 Census redistricting data are available on the data.census.gov resources page and include videos on accessing population counts, census blocks, mapping geographies, customizing the table view, and comparing 2020 and 2010 census data. Additional tutorials and materials on how to access data on data.census.gov, including a webinar scheduled Sept. 21, are available on Census Academy.
Additional information about the Redistricting Data Program, including data visualizations for the nation, state, county and metropolitan/micropolitan statistical areas is available in the 2020 Census Redistricting Files Press Kit. More information on the redistricting data program is also available on the 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data Summary Files webpage.