Census data means Minnesota keeps Congressional seats

The U.S. Census Bureau released the first population data from Census 2020 Monday, showing that Minnesota’s population grew by 7.6 percent to 5,706,494, outpacing most Midwestern states and keeping pace with the national average.The state grew just enough to hold on to all eight of its congressional seats.

“I want to thank Minnesotans for their nation-leading civic engagement, which made us the No. 1 state in responding to the Census,” said Gov. Tim Walz. “Because of that participation, we will be fully represented in Washington and will have access to federal resources we need to improve our infrastructure, fund our schools, and support our health care system.”

Minnesota hung onto the 435th seat in Congress by a close margin — fewer than 1,000 people.

“Losing one district would have been a serious blow to the state,” said Susan Brower, state demographer. “Had Minnesota lost that seat, each of the remaining seven districts would have had to grow by 102,000 people, setting off a complex realignment or redistricting of the state’s political map. The impact in Greater Minnesota where the districts are already very large would have been especially difficult.”

Minnesota led the nation in self-response to the census, with 75.1 percent of households returning their census forms without additional follow-up from census takers.

Block-level census data that are used in the redistricting process to create new map boundaries for congressional and state legislative districts will be released in August 2021.