New Census numbers show growth in ND & MN

New U.S. Census data released today suggests both North Dakota and Minnesota gained population between 2010 and 2020.

North Dakota’s count jumped 15.8% to 779,094.  Minnesota’s population grew from 5.3 million in 2010 to 5,706,494 in 2020.

Grand Forks County is still the third largest in North Dakota at 73,170.  That’s a jump of 6,309 over the decade.  Cass remains the largest at 184,525 followed by Burleigh at 98,458.

The 2020 Census data shows Polk County in Minnesota declined by 408 residents to 31,192.

The city of Grand Forks has a population of 59,166 – up 11.98% over the 2010 Census.  Fargo remains the largest city at 125,900….Bismarck climbed to 73,622….Minot increased to 48,377.

The data comes from compiling forms filled out last year by tens of millions of Americans, with the help of census takers and government statisticians to fill in the blanks when forms were not turned in or questions were left unanswered. The numbers reflect countless decisions made over the past 10 years by individuals to have children, move to another part of the country or to come to the U.S. from elsewhere.

The release offers states the first chance to redraw their political districts in a process that is expected to be particularly brutish since control over Congress and statehouses is at stake.

Almost all of the growth of the past 10 years happened in metropolitan areas. About 80% of metropolitan areas saw population gains as more people in smaller counties moved to larger, more urban counties.

The share of children in the U.S. declined because of falling birth rates, while the share of adults grew, driven by aging baby boomers. Adults over age 18 made up more than three-quarters of the population in 2020, or 258.3 million people, an increase of more than 10% from 2010. However, the population of children under age 18 dropped from 74.2 million in 2010 to 73.1 million in 2020.