Population Estimates

Estimates Challenge Program and Results

The U.S. Census Bureau has an Estimates Challenge program through which governmental units—including states, counties and units of local government—may challenge the population estimates prepared by the Census Bureau under the provisions of Title 15, The Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 90. Please provide us with any comments or concerns regarding the estimates. You can ask questions or send feedback by sending emails to pop.challenge@census.gov

The population estimates in this program use the latest decennial census as the first year of the population estimates series. The population estimates base includes modifications to the decennial census based on the Decennial’s Count Question Resolution (CQR) Program.

2010 Census Questions or Concerns: If you have questions or concerns about the 2010 Decennial Census population for your community, please contact the CQR program office. Information on the CQR program can be found at: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/about/cqr.php. The CQR program will begin taking submissions from local governments starting on June 1.

Note: The Population Estimates Challenge program was temporarily suspended beginning on February 3, 2010 for the decennial census year and the following year to accommodate the taking of the 2010 Census. During this time, the Census Bureau did not have the resources to review challenges to the July 1, 2009 population estimates. The Federal Register Notice announcing the suspension of the challenge program was posted here: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/index.html.The reference information for the challenge program suspension notice was: January 4, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 1) Temporary Suspension of the Population Estimates and Income Estimates Challenge Programs.

A Federal Register Notice will be posted to announce the resumption of the program in 2012; the program will be available with release of the July 1, 2011 population estimates.

Results of challenges to previously released estimates are listed here.

2008 challenges

2007 challenges

2006 challenges

2005 challenges

2004 challenges

2003 challenges

2002 challenges

2001 challenges

Handling Legal Boundary Issues or the Reporting of Building Permits

If during the course of the challenge, the local government is dissatisfied with the recording of their legal boundaries or building permits, the following options are open to them:

The geographic boundaries of governmental units are updated through the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS). If a local government wants to participate in the BAS or if they have a question regarding their boundaries, they should contact the BAS Unit of the Census Bureau's Geography Division on 301-763-1099 or e-mail them at GEO.BAS@census.gov.

Subcounty population estimates are produced using building permit data gathered from a survey conducted by the Census Bureau's Residential Construction Branch. If a local government is not being contacted by this survey or if they disagree with the collected data, they may contact the Residential Construction Branch on 301-763-5160.