New Census Data Show Oregon Poised to Gain a Congressional Seat

The wave of newcomers moving to Oregon is likely to result in an additional seat in Congress.

The U.S. Census Bureau this morning released new figures showing the changes in state populations. As the Wall Street Journal first reported, Oregon is growing at a pace that would net it a sixth congressional district.

Between July 1, 2018 and July 1, 2019, Oregon's population grew by 0.9 percent. That's the 12th fastest rate of growth in the nation, says economist Christian Kaylor—and it means the Beaver State grew by 10 percent over the past decade.

Congressional seats are reallocated after a U.S. Census; the next one is being conducted in 2020. If Oregon's numbers hold, it will join Texas, Florida, Colorado and Arizona among the states gaining seats. Ohio, New York, California and Michigan are some of the states projected to lose a seat.

Oregon last gained a congressional seat—its fifth—in 1982.

That said, people aren't quite as eager to move here as they have been over a booming decade. Oregon's rate of growth in the past year was slower than any of the states that border it, except California.

The fastest growing state in the union? Idaho, which grew by 2.1 percent in the past year. Everybody loves totchos.