2010 United States Census
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| 2010 United States Census | |
|---|---|
 Original: United States Bureau of the Census Vector: Mysid · Public domain · source | |
| Name | 2010 United States Census |
| Country | United States |
| Date | April 1, 2010 |
| Population | 308,745,538 |
| Percent change | 9.7% |
| Region type | country |
| Previous census | 2000 United States Census |
| Next census | 2020 United States Census |
2010 United States Census The 2010 United States Census was the twenty-third decennial census of the United States. Conducted by the United States Census Bureau under the Department of Commerce, it sought to enumerate the resident population as of April 1, 2010, producing a resident count of 308,745,538. The operation influenced apportionment for the United States House of Representatives, federal program funding allocations, and state-level redistricting processes involving legislatures, courts, and advocacy groups.
Background and Preparation
Preparation involved coordination among federal agencies, state governments such as California, Texas, and New York, and major municipalities including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. Leadership included Census Bureau director appointments approved during the Obama administration and interactions with congressional committees like the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Outreach partnerships were formed with organizations such as the National Urban League, League of United Latin American Citizens, NAACP, and tribal governments including the Navajo Nation and Cherokee Nation. Legal frameworks included the United States Constitution, the United States Census Act, and precedents from cases such as Department of Commerce v. Montana and litigation in the Supreme Court of the United States. Planning encompassed sampling tests with the 2008 American Community Survey and dress rehearsals like the census tests in Harris County, Texas, Sacramento, California, and Berrien County, Michigan.
Enumeration and Data Collection
The enumeration relied on mailed questionnaires, follow-up visits, and partnership programs in coordination with postal operations of the United States Postal Service. Regions with large immigrant populations—Notable cities included Miami, New York City, San Francisco, and Phoenix—saw targeted advertising and collaboration with groups such as the American Immigration Council and National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). Data collection methods involved field operations with enumerators comparable to efforts in 2000 United States Census, use of forms distributed by the Census Bureau, and tailored efforts for remote populations on territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Special enumeration programs addressed persons experiencing homelessness coordinated with organizations like National Alliance to End Homelessness and shelters in cities such as Seattle and Detroit. Outreach included multilingual materials reflecting speakers of Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, and other languages spoken in places like Queens and San Jose, California.
Results and Key Findings
The 2010 enumeration reported a resident population of 308,745,538, a 9.7% increase over the 2000 count. Growth concentrated in states including Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada, while states such as New York, Ohio, and Michigan experienced slower growth or declines in parts. Demographic shifts showed continued diversification with increases in populations identifying as Hispanic or Latino, Asian American, and multiracial residents, impacting metropolitan areas like Houston, Los Angeles metropolitan area, and Riverside–San Bernardino. Urbanization trends and suburban changes were notable in regions including Atlanta, Charlotte, and Denver. The census provided block-level data used by planners in states such as Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Georgia for infrastructure, health, and education allocation.
Accuracy, Challenges, and Controversies
Accuracy debates involved differential undercount and overcount issues documented in studies by demographers at institutions like University of Michigan, Harvard University, and Brookings Institution. Controversies touched on statements from political figures including members of the United States Congress and civil rights organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as legal challenges concerning the inclusion of undocumented immigrants and differential privacy concerns raised by scholars. Operational challenges included enumerating remote indigenous communities on reservations such as the Alaska Native villages and addressing nonresponse rates in neighborhoods across St. Louis, Baltimore, and New Orleans. Technical criticisms targeted census accuracy estimates, post-enumeration surveys, and the handling of group quarters such as prisons in jurisdictions including Rikers Island and federal facilities.
Impact on Apportionment and Redistricting
Apportionment based on the population totals resulted in the transfer of House seats from states including New York, Ohio, and Illinois to states such as Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Georgia. The outcomes initiated redistricting processes in state legislatures like those in California State Legislature, Texas Legislature, and Florida Legislature, with litigation frequently reaching state supreme courts—e.g., decisions in the Supreme Court of California and the Supreme Court of Texas—and occasionally federal courts including panels of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Redistricting controversies spurred involvement by voting rights advocates and enforcement under the Voting Rights Act, triggering lawsuits in districts across Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Technological and Methodological Changes
Although the operation continued to rely heavily on paper forms, the Census Bureau incorporated updated methods including improved address canvassing, expanded use of administrative records from agencies like the Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service, and geospatial technology involving the Geographic Information System infrastructure and partnerships with NASA for remote sensing reference. Fieldwork management used digital tools for scheduling and data tracking similar to systems deployed by private firms such as Accenture in prior contracts. Methodological research advanced by demographers at UC Berkeley and Princeton University influenced future census design decisions considered for the subsequent enumeration.