Missouri’s population has topped six million for the first time, but our congressional delegation has shrunk to its smallest number in 150 years.
The census bureau says there are six-million, 11-thousand-478 Missourians, Twenty-two-thousand-551 of them live overseas.
The census count shows Missouri’s population grew by seven percent in the last decade, but that wasn’t enough to keep up with others states that grew faster. As a result, we’ll lose a congressional seat. Missouri is one of ten states losing at least one seat. Seven states will pick up at least one more member of congress—Texas gets four more and Florida gains two. Two of our neighboring states, Illinois and Iowa also have lost a representative in Congress.
Missouri has nine congressional seats now. the last time it had fewer was when it had seven from 1853 through 1863.
Missouri’s congressional delegation is now 6-3, Republican. The heavily Republican-controlled legislature will re-draw congressional district maps.
Missouri had been the nation’s 17th most populous state, but now is ranked 18th.