Not Quite 690,000 Residents: DC’s Latest Population Estimate

• April 26, 2021

by Nena Perry-Brown

While DC has been operating under the assumption that there are more than 700,000 residents in the city, the 2020 Census counts announced Monday are seemingly a reality check.

The District of Columbia has an approximate population of 689,545, based on the U.S. Census Bureau's announced 2020 population growth. This represents a 14.6% increase over the 2010 population for DC of 601,723. The Census Bureau's estimates last year ballparked the city's population at 712,816 as of July 2020.

The low population number could reflect below-average response rates and undercounting in some areas of or for some demographics in the city, although there have also been reports of considerable out-migration from DC amid the pandemic. Data for redistricting, which could lead to new ward boundaries, is expected to be released in September.

The nationwide population stands at almost 331.5 million, a 7.4% increase since 2010. This is the lowest population growth between Census counts since 1940, and the second-lowest population growth in history. 

Thumbnail photo courtesy of Ted Eytan.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/per-the-latest-census-count-dc-has-690000-residents/18182