Three states had a decline in population according to the 2020 U.S. Census. Mississippi's population declined by point two percent, the second-lowest population change in the nation behind West Virginia. That's a change of around 6,000 residents from the census in 2010. But the South overall saw the largest regional population growth in the nation. Jamiko Deleveaux, with the State Data Center of Mississippi, says the state was expected to be a part of that regional growth.
"Many researchers expected us to see an increase, however, we saw a decrease. Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana all saw a population growth of over 2%," says Deleveaux. "So it does say Mississippi can actually have that same type of population growth that its neighbors are having as well."
With a population of 2.9 million residents, Mississippi will retain its 4 congressional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Other southern states such as Florida and North Carolina will gain a seat, and Texas is gaining two. Mississippi lost a congressional seat following the 2000 census. But Deleveaux says the new data could affect how much funding federal programs in the state will receive.
Deleveaux says "If you look at SNAP or those type of funding programs, they're based on how many people are actually here in the state of Mississippi that are under the age of 17. And I think that's some of the things that we have to look at. That data hasn't come out as yet for us to see how many of those people under the age 17 are here."
Officials with the U.S. Census Bureau say more specific data on redistricting and racial demographics will be released later this year.
