SALT LAKE CITY — According to a new US Census Bureau report, Utah’s population was overcounted by approximately 2.59% in the 2020 Census. Furthermore, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 13 other states were over or undercounted in 2020. The U.S. Census Bureau came to these conclusions through the Post Enumeration Survey (PES). 

Census Director Robert Santos, said that understanding which states were inaccurately counted can help them better plan for 2030’s count. They can also work toward the goal of more consistent and equal census coverage across the nation.

“Transparency is a critical aspect of scientific integrity. That is why we are releasing these results to the public,” said Santos.

The Post Enumeration Survey

According to the Census website, the PES estimate shows how accurately the 2020 Census counted everyone in the nation. The PES creates an independent estimate of how many people are living in the United States on April 1, 2020. It is then used to survey a sample of people in households in the U.S. and matches the responses to 2020 Census records. 

“Achieving an accurate count for all 50 states and DC is always a difficult endeavor, and these results suggest it was difficult again in 2020, particularly given the unprecedented challenges we faced,” Santos said.

According to the Census website, the Census Bureau released the first results from the PES on March 10, 2022. 

Santos’ reflection

Santos said he wants to emphasize that 2020 was a unique and challenging year for the department as a whole. That said, Santos is very proud of the staff and community. 

“I continue to be proud of the efforts of our career staff and appreciative of our community partners,” Santos added.

Over and undercounted states in the 2020 Census

The states that were undercounted include Arkansas (-5.04%), Florida (-3.48%), Illinois (-1.97%), Mississippi (-4.11%), Tennessee (-4.78%) and Texas (-1.92%).

The states that were overcounted include Delaware (+5.45%), Hawaii (+6.79%), Massachusetts (+2.24%), Minnesota (+3.84%), New York (+3.44%), Ohio (+1.49%), Rhode Island (+5.05%) and Utah (+2.59%).

Related Story: Some groups were overcounted or undercounted in the 2020 Census