Census dismisses urban complaints of 2020 undercounts.

Challenges to 2020 Census Numbers Leave Some U.S. Cities Disappointed

Some of the largest U.S. cities challenging their 2020 census numbers aren’t getting the results they hoped for from the U.S. Census Bureau. An effort by Memphis to increase its official population resulted in three people being subtracted from its count during an initial appeal.

However, some successes have come from challenges to totals of “group quarters” — dorms, jails, and nursing homes. They were among the most difficult to count as campuses closed and prisons and nursing homes were locked down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Census Bureau created a separate program to handle these challenges.

The Census Bureau has received more than 100 submissions in total for its two challenge programs from cities, towns, and villages of all sizes across the U.S.

The challenges won’t affect how many congressional seats each state got during the apportionment process, or the more detailed numbers used for redrawing political boundaries. But new numbers could shape how the federal government distributes $1.5 trillion for transportation, health programs, and other funding, which is most pertinent for cities.

State, tribal, and local governments have until the end of June to file challenges, and any changes will be reflected in future population estimates that are calculated each year between censuses.

Challenges by City

• Austin: Claimed that 7,329 housing units were missed, but the Census Bureau added only a single housing unit.
• Boston: Believed the 2020 census missed more than 6,000 students living in university housing and 419 inmates at local jails. The Census Bureau approved the submission from Boston.
• Detroit: Filed two challenges. One said the count shortchanged Michigan’s largest city by 8% of its occupied homes, overlooking tens of thousands of residents. Detroit succeeded only with its group quarters challenge.
• Memphis: Launched two challenges, saying the census missed 15,895 residents, and that Memphis grew since 2010, for the first time in 50 years. Memphis was unsuccessful in its appeal of its housing count in which the city said more than 10,700 people were missed.
• Milwaukee: Succeeded with its claim that more than 800 jail inmates were missed, part of a challenge organized with other Wisconsin municipalities. Milwaukee’s other appeal is still pending.
• Phoenix: Awaits a response to its challenge of its group quarters count, claiming 3,500 people in 192 facilities were missed.

While the challenges may not have affected congressional seats or redrawing political boundaries, they could impact how the federal government distributes funding. It remains to be seen how successful these challenges will be, but state, tribal, and local governments have until the end of June to file their own challenges.

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