U.S. Census Bureau releases 2010 data, Texas gains 4 seats in Congress

Daniel Tedford
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
December 21, 2010

California's population grew by about 10 percent in the last decade and the state won't lose any seats in Congress, the U.S. Census Bureau said Tuesday.

The department released the first results of the U.S. Census on Tuesday at the Washington Press Club.

The nation grew by about 9.7 percent to 308,745,538, officials said.

One of the most awaited results was the apportionment of Congressional seats to various states. The majority of growth was in the southern and western parts of the U.S., while the northeast and the mid-west experienced the most slowing in population growth.

Despite the western growth, this was the first time in about a century that California didn't gain any votes.

Census Bureau said California has gained seats every decade going back to 1930. In 2000, California gained one congressional seat.

There was a shift of 12 seats among 18 states, officials said. States that gained seats were Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington. Texas gained the most seats with four.

Nevada had 30 percent population growth, the most in the country.

The states losing seats were Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.