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The U.S. Census Bureau denies Detroits challenge of the 2020 Census

A map shows the locations of the U.S. Census Bureau's regional offices for the 2020 census.
Hansi Lo Wang
/
NPR
A map shows the locations of the U.S. Census Bureau's regional offices for the 2020 census.

The U-S Census Bureau is refusing to change some 2020 population estimates challenged by the city of Detroit.

But as Quinn Klinefelter reports…the city still has options…

   Detroit officials charged the Census Bureau miscounted residents twice – under-reporting the city’s total population…and missing some people who lived together in group settings.

   The bureau had an especially difficult time counting people in so-called “group quarters” like dorms…jails and nursing homes…because many were locked down due to the pandemic.

   Detroit won its challenge over group quarters…with the bureau adding an extra 14 hundred people to the city’s total.

   But the bureau rejected an effort to change the overall population estimate…which found Detroit had dropped from about 670-thousand people in 2019…to around 639-thousand by 2020.

   Detroit officials will reportedly again contest that estimate…through a different challenge program offered by the Census Bureau.

Quinn Klinefelter is a host and Senior News Editor for 101.9 WDET, anchoring midday newscasts and preparing reports for WDET, NPR and the BBC.