Happy day! The 2020 Census data is finally beginning to be released after months of delays, including 2020 census state populations. Let’s take a look.

State Population Census 2010 vs. 2020 Estimate vs. 2020 Census
2010 Census———————–2020 Estimate——————-2020 Census
1. California:37,253,956—–1. California: 39,368,078—- 1. California: 39,538,223
2. Texas: 25,145,561———-2. Texas: 29,360,759———2. Texas: 29,145,505
3. New York: 19,378,102—–3. Florida: 21,733,312——–3. Florida: 21,538,187
4. Florida: 18,801,310———4. New York: 19,336,776—-4. New York: 20,201,249
5. Illinois: 12,830,632———-5. Pennsylvania: 12,783,254–5. Pennsylvania: 13,002,700
6. Pennsylvania: 12,702,379-6. Illinois: 12,587,530——–6. Illinois: 12,812,508
7. Ohio: 11,536,504————-7. Ohio: 11,693,217———-7. Ohio: 11,799,448
8. Michigan: 9,883,640———8. Georgia: 10,710,017——8. Georgia: 10,711,908
9. Georgia: 9,687,653———-9. N. Carolina: 10,600,823–9. N. Carolina: 10,439,388
10. N. Carolina: 9,535,483—-10. Michigan: 9,966,555—–10. Michigan: 10,077,331
11. New Jersey: 8,791,894—-11. New Jersey: 8,882,371–11. New Jersey: 9,288,994
12. Virginia: 8,001,024———-12. Virginia: 8,590,563——-12. Virginia: 8,631,393
13. Washington: 6,724,540—–13. Washington: 7,693,612–13. Washington: 7,705,281
14. Massachusetts: 6,547,629–14. Arizona: 7,421,401——14. Arizona: 7,151,502
15. Indiana: 6,483,802—-15. Massachusetts: 6,893,574–15. Massachusetts: 7,029,917
16. Arizona: 6,392,017———–16. Tennessee: 6,886,834–16. Tennessee: 6,910,840
17. Tennessee: 6,346,105——-17. Indiana: 6,754,953——-17. Indiana: 6,785,528
18. Missouri: 5,988,927———–18. Missouri: 6,151,548——18. Maryland: 6,177,224
19. Maryland: 5,773,552———-19. Maryland: 6,055,802—–19. Missouri: 6,154,913
20. Wisconsin: 5,686,986———20. Wisconsin: 5,832,655—-20. Wisconsin: 5,893,718
21. Minnesota: 5,303,925———21. Colorado: 5,807,719—-21. Colorado: 5,773,714
22. Colorado: 5,029,196———–22. Minnesota: 5,657,342—-22. Minnesota: 5,706,494
23. Alabama: 4,779,736———23. S. Carolina: 5,218,040——23. S. Carolina: 5,118,425
24. S. Carolina: 4,625,364———24. Alabama: 4,921,532——24. Alabama: 5,024,279
25. Louisiana: 4,533,372———-25. Louisiana: 4,645,318——25. Louisiana: 4,657,757
26. Kentucky: 4,339,367———–26. Kentucky: 4,477,251——26. Kentucky: 4,505,836
27. Oregon: 3,831,074————–27. Oregon: 4,241,507——–27. Oregon: 4,237,256
28. Oklahoma: 3,751,351———-28. Oklahoma: 3,980,783—–28. Oklahoma: 3,959,353
29. Connecticut: 3,574,097——29. Connecticut: 3,557,006—29. Connecticut: 3,605,944
30. Iowa: 3,046,355—————-30. Utah: 3,249,879————30. Utah: 3,271,616
31. Mississippi: 2,967,297——–31. Iowa: 3,163,561———–31. Iowa: 3,190,369
32. Arkansas: 2,915,918———-32. Nevada: 3,138,259——-32. Nevada: 3,104,614
33. Kansas: 2,853,118————-33. Arkansas: 3,030,522——33. Arkansas: 3,011,524
34. Utah: 2,763,885—————–34. Mississippi: 2,966,786—-34. Mississippi: 2,961,279
35. Nevada: 2,700,551————-35. Kansas: 2,913,805———35. Kansas: 2,937,880
36. New Mexico: 2,059,179—-36. New Mexico: 2,106,319—36. New Mexico: 2,117,522
37. W. Virginia: 1,852,994——–37. Nebraska: 1,937,552——-37. Nebraska: 1,961,504
38. Nebraska: 1,826,341———38. Idaho: 1,826,913———–38. Idaho: 1,839,106
39. Idaho: 1,567,582—————39. W. Virginia: 1,784,787—–39. W. Virginia: 1,793,716
40. Hawaii: 1,360,301————40. Hawaii: 1,407,006———-40. Hawaii: 1,455,271
41. Maine: 1,328,361——–41. N. Hampshire: 1,366,275—41. N. Hampshire: 1,377,529
42. N. Hampshire: 1,316,470—-42. Maine: 1,350,141——–42. Maine: 1,362,359
43. Rhode Island: 1,052,567—–43. Montana: 1,080,577—-43. Rhode Island: 1,097,379
44. Montana: 989,414———-44. Rhode Island: 1,057,125——–44. Montana: 1,084,225
45. Delaware: 897,934————45. Delaware: 986,809———45. Delaware: 989,948
46. S. Dakota: 814,180———–46. S. Dakota: 892,717——–46. S. Dakota: 886,667
47. Alaska: 710,231————–47. N. Dakota: 765,309——–47. N. Dakota: 779,094
48. N. Dakota: 672,591———–48. Alaska: 731,158———–48. Alaska: 733,391
49. Vermont: 625,741——-49. Washington DC: 712,816—-49. Washington DC: 689,545
50. Washington DC: 601,723——-50. Vermont: 623,347———-50. Vermont: 643,077
51. Wyoming: 563,626————-51. Wyoming: 582,328———-51. Wyoming: 576,851

In many cases, the 2020 estimates had significant errors. New York was found to have more than 800,000 people above what the estimate was. The estimate assumed the state had lost population the past decade, but it had actually gained well over 800,000. Ohio was also undercounted by more than 106,000. In general, the Census estimates had Northern states with either too large losses/too slow growth than reality, while Southern states were generally estimated to have grown more than they really did. This has been a long-standing bias within the Census estimates program.

Total Population Change Comparison By Decade
2000-2010——————————————2010-2020
1. Texas: 4,293,741————————–1. Texas: 3,999,944
2. California: 3,382,308———————2. Florida: 2,736,877
3. Florida: 2,818,932————————3. California: 2,284,267
4. Georgia: 1,501,200———————–4. Georgia: 1,024,255
5. N. Carolina: 1,486,170——————-5. Washington: 980,741
6. Arizona: 1,261,385————————6. N. Carolina: 903,905
7. Virginia: 922,509—————————7. New York: 823,147
8. Washington: 830,419———————8. Arizona: 759,485
9. Colorado: 727,934————————-9. Colorado: 744,518
10. Nevada: 702,294——————–     10. Virginia: 630,369
11. Tennessee: 656,822——————–11. Tennessee: 564,735
12. S. Carolina: 613,352——————-12. Utah: 507,731
13. Utah: 530,716—————————-13. New Jersey: 497,100
14. Maryland: 477,066———————-14. S. Carolina: 493,061
15. Pennsylvania: 421,325————— -15. Massachusetts: 482,288
16. Illinois: 411,339————————–16. Oregon: 406,182
17. Oregon: 409,675————————17. Nevada: 404,063
18. Indiana: 403,317————————18. Maryland: 403,672
19. New York: 401,645———————-19. Minnesota: 402,569
20. Missouri: 393,716———————–20. Indiana: 301,726
21. Minnesota: 384,446———————21. Pennsylvania: 300,321
22. New Jersey: 377,544——————-22. Idaho: 271,524
23. Alabama: 332,645———————–23. Ohio: 262,944
24. Wisconsin: 323,311———————24. Alabama: 244,543
25. Oklahoma: 300,697———————25. Oklahoma: 208,002
26. Kentucky: 297,598———————-26. Wisconsin: 206,732
27. Idaho: 273,629—————————27. Michigan: 193,691
28. Arkansas: 242,518———————-28. Kentucky: 166,469
29. New Mexico: 240,133——————29. Missouri: 165,986
30. Massachusetts: 198,532————–30. Iowa: 144,014
31. Ohio: 183,364—————————31. Nebraska: 135,163
32. Connecticut: 168,532——————32. Louisiana: 124,385
33. Kansas: 164,700————————33. N. Dakota: 106,503
34. Hawaii: 148,764————————-34. Arkansas: 95,606
35. Mississippi: 122,639——————–35. Hawaii: 94,970
36. Iowa: 120,031—————————-36. Montana: 94,810
37. Nebraska: 115,078———————-37. Delaware: 92,014
38. Delaware: 114,334———————-38. Washington DC: 87,822
39. Montana: 87,220————————39. Kansas: 84,762
40. Alaska: 83,299—————————40. S. Dakota: 72,487
41. N. Hampshire: 80,684—————–41. N. Hampshire: 61,059
42. Wyoming: 69,844———————–42. New Mexico: 58,343
43. Louisiana: 64,396———————–43. Rhode Island: 44,812
44. S. Dakota: 59,336———————–44. Maine: 33,998
45. Maine: 53,438—————————-45. Connecticut: 31,847
46. W. Virginia: 44,650———————-46. Alaska: 23,160
47. N. Dakota: 30,391———————–47. Vermont: 17,336
48. Washington DC: 29,664—————48. Wyoming: 13,225
49. Vermont: 16,914————————-49. Mississippi: -6,018
50. Rhode Island: 4,248——————–50. Illinois: -18,124
51. Michigan: -54,804———————–51. W. Virginia: -59,278

Rank by Difference between 2010-2020 vs. 2000-2010
1. New York: +421,502
2. Massachusetts: +283,756
3. Michigan: +248,495
4. Washington: +150,322
5. New Jersey: +119,556
6. Ohio: +79,580
7. North Dakota: +76,112
8. Louisiana: +59,989
9. Washington DC: +58,158
10. Rhode Island: +40,564
11. Iowa: +23,983
12. Nebraska: +20,085
13. Minnesota: +18,123
14. Colorado: +16,584
15. South Dakota: +13,151
16. Montana: +7,590
17. Vermont: +422
18. Idaho: -2,105
19. Oregon: -3,493
20. Maine: -19,440
21. New Hampshire: -19,625
22. Delaware: -22,320
23. Utah: -22,985
24. Hawaii: -53,794
25. Wyoming: -56,619
26. Alaska: -60,139
27. Maryland: -73,394
28. Kansas: -79,938
29. Florida: -82,055
30. Alabama: -88,102
31. Tennessee: -92,087
32. Oklahoma: -92,695
33. Indiana: -101,591
34. West Virginia: -103,928
35. Wisconsin: -116,579
36. South Carolina: -120,291
37. Pennsylvania: -121,004
38. Mississippi: -128,657
39. Kentucky: -131,129
40. Connecticut: -136,685
41. Arkansas: -146,912
42. New Mexico: -181,790
43. Missouri: -227,730
44. Virginia: -292,140
45. Texas: -293,797
46. Nevada: -298,231
47. Illinois: -429,463
48. Georgia: -476,945
49. Arizona: -501,900
50. North Carolina: -582,265
51. California: -1,098,041

Total Change By Region Between 2000-2010 and 2010-2020
South: -2,571,014
Midwest: -475,772
Northeast: +531,490
West: -2,104,601

Ohio moved into the top 25 in total growth and was one of the top states for the biggest improvement between the 2000s and 2010s. However, because it was already one of the most-populated states in the nation, its total growth still wasn’t enough for it to not lose another House district. The state will have to keep improving if it wants to maintain its level of representation in Congress.
Meanwhile, the fast-growing South and West regions clearly slowed down in growth the past decade. Combined, they added 4.675 million fewer people the past decade than they did during the 2000s. The Midwest was more of a mixed bag, with more states improving, but Illinois cancelling out all of that positive momentum. Only the Northeast managed to add more people the past decade than it did during the 2000s, mostly led by a huge improvement in New York.

The Census will release 2020 population numbers for counties, cities and other places over the next few months, and will be posted here when they are.

For more local and national population data, follow the links.
United States Census
Columbus City Population and Demographics
Columbus Metro Area Population and Demographics
Columbus vs. Other Places