Idaho Is Growing According To Census

BOISE, ID — If you think Idaho is becoming crowded, the U.S. Census just validated your thoughts.

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According the numbers just released, 1,839,106 people now live in the Gem State. In the 2010 census, that number was 1,567,582. That is a 17.4 percent increase in people in the state.

More detailed information, including growth within Boise and Ada County, will be released later this year. Census information is used by the government in the allocating of funds including Medicare, Medicaid, education funding and other governement services. The census is also used in determining redistricting.

Even with the tremendous growth, Idaho will not see additional representation in Congress for the next ten years. Two representatives and two senators will continue in Congress with Idaho tags.

For the first time ever, California will lose a seat. Texas will add two seats and Florida will gain one seat. Two of Idaho's neighbors, Oregon and Montana, will each see another seat added, as will Colorado and North Carolina.

States losing a seat include Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Texas has added a seat in every census since 1970 and Florida has added a seat since the 1980 census. Pennsylvania has lost representation in every census since 1920 and Ohio and Michigan are now five time losers.

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