New 2020 Census Results Show Group Quarters Population Increased Since 2010

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2020 Census State Level Change

The group quarters population increased in 31 states and the District of Columbia, rising 10% or more in 10 states (Figure 1).

The states with the fastest-growing group quarters populations were Idaho and Utah at over 15%. Nineteen states and Puerto Rico saw a decrease in their group quarters populations, with most declines below 5%.

Six states — Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania and South Dakota — experienced a drop of 5% or more.

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Counting People in Group Quarters

As with each census, these results reflect changes in the population since the last census. These new counts also provide a snapshot of the GQ population during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted the GQ population and how specific GQ populations were enumerated.

Amid pandemic-related challenges, we modified our operations and provided additional guidance to ensure people in group quarters were counted and counted in the right place. We summarized these challenges and how we addressed them in a previously published blog about GQs.

We had numerous quality checks built into collecting the data, and we conducted one of the most comprehensive reviews in recent census history during data processing that included additional outreach to some GQs. Anomalies were identified and addressed in the review of the GQ counts.

No census is perfect, and we will continue to evaluate the 2020 Census group quarters enumeration using information from the assessment reports and feedback from the 2020 Census Count Question Resolution program and other outreach programs to apply lessons learned to the 2030 Census.

Data Visualizations

2020 Population and Housing State Data

2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer

Reasonableness of the Results

We have taken the time needed to produce the high-quality data that we and the public expect. The GQ population counts by major GQ type at the national, state and lower geographic levels are reasonable compared with 2010 Census and American Community Survey population benchmarks.

Overall, the results by major GQ type are in line with recent trends and consistent with expectations. We are confident that every step has been taken to ensure that the 2020 Census results for group quarters meet our high data quality standards.

Counting the population of every GQ in the nation is an immense task in even normal circumstances. This release includes counts of the GQ population for different GQ types down to the lowest geographic level (the census block) for which the Census Bureau releases data.

Even with the additional efforts made this decade, as with any census, it is expected that some discrepancies for the counts of the population for individual GQs remain. This release is just the beginning of understanding how the nation's GQ population has changed since the 2010 Census, and these GQ counts will be the focus of many other research efforts.

William Koerber is a survey statistician and group quarters subject matter expert at the Census Bureau.

Steven Wilson is chief of the Census Bureau's Population and Housing Programs Branch.

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