Nebraska matches U.S. rate for population growth in last decade, climbing to No. 37 among states

US Census 2020 — Nebraska saw string growth in the 2020 Census.

JOHN ROARK, Associated Press

The U.S. Census Bureau has completed data processing for the first 2020 Census results — state population counts used to apportion the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the 50 states. The Census Bureau will hold a virtual news conference to release these results on Monday, April 26, 2021. The results will include population totals for the nation and the states as well as the congressional apportionment totals for each state.

Apportionment is the process of distributing the 435 memberships, or seats, in the U.S. House of Representatives among the 50 states based on the apportionment population counts from the 2020 Census. The apportionment population consists of the resident population of the 50 states, plus the overseas military and federal civilian employees and their dependents living with them who could be allocated to a home state.

A live media Q&A session with Census Bureau subject matter experts will immediately follow the briefing for media who have RSVPed.

Nebraska grew faster over the past 10 years than it has in most decades since the early 1900s.

According to U.S. Census figures released Monday, the state added 135,163 people between the 2010 and 2020 census, a 7.4% growth rate. Nebraska’s population as of April 1 of last year was 1,961,504.

That was a higher growth rate than from 2000-2010, and it was the second-highest over the past 100 years, topped only by Nebraska’s 8.4% growth from 1990-2000. In raw numbers, it was the highest growth since the decade from 1880-1890.

In a statement, Gov. Pete Ricketts said it was the state’s residents who promoted growth by creating jobs and investing in their communities. “The last 10 years has created great momentum that we will continue to build on as we emerge from the pandemic,” he said.

Nebraska’s population growth in the 2010s matched the national rate; however, the national growth rate was the second-worst in the history of the census.

Experts say the paltry pace nationally reflects the combination of an aging population, slowing immigration and the scars of the Great Recession, which led many young adults to delay marriage and starting families, the Associated Press reported.

Nebraska’s growth rate ranked 21st overall among states, better than all bordering states except for Colorado and South Dakota.

David Drozd, research coordinator for the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said most of the population increase in the state was driven by natural growth, with births exceeding deaths by more than 98,000 over the past decade.

But Nebraska also continued a trend of immigration — or more people moving into the state than leaving.

“Both positive factors are leading to (Nebraska’s) growth, and we’ll see if it continues,” Drozd said.

The growth allowed the state to move past West Virginia, which had the highest rate of population loss, into 37th place among the states.

Monday’s release only included state-level population data. Drozd said county and metropolitan-area population data is scheduled to be released in mid-August.

However, he said it’s likely that most of the growth in the past decade occurred in the state’s larger cities.

“The general trends are definitely faster growth in the urban areas,” Drozd said.

Though Nebraska’s growth means it will keep the three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives it’s had since 1963, the continued shift in population will change the district maps.

Drozd said it’s likely about 50,000 people will need to be shifted into the 3rd Congressional District from the state’s other two districts.