New York loses House seat over difference of 89 people, official says

A shortfall of just 89 people will cost New York one of its 27 House seats next year, Census Bureau officials said Monday.

New York, the fourth most-populous state in the country, is set to be one of seven losing a representative in the House after it was beaten out by Minnesota for the lower chamber’s 435th seat. The announcement was made by the U.S. Census Bureau as it unveiled the first results of its decennial population count.

Overall, New York’s population grew by about 4.2 percent between 2010 and 2020. Nevertheless, the Empire State fell just 89 people short of maintaining its current number of seats in the House, according to Kristin Koslap, an apportionment expert at the Census Bureau.

“What we have is that if New York had had 89 more people, they would have received one more seat instead of the last state that received their last seat,” Koslap said. “There are 435 seats, so the last seat went to Minnesota and New York was next in line.”

The census data released Monday offered an initial glimpse at how the U.S. population has changed over the past decade. The population grew to 331.5 million between 2010 and 2020, the slowest growth rate for a 10-year period since the 1930s. 

In addition to New York, California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia will also each lose a House seat after the decennial redistricting process. 

While the losses in Rust Belt states such as Ohio and Michigan were widely expected, California’s single seat loss is the first time in the state’s history that it will lose a representative in Washington. 

Six states, meanwhile, are set to gain House districts. Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Oregon and Montana will pick up one seat apiece. Texas, which gained more new residents than any other state, will gain two new seats next year.