U.S. Census Bureau: Population Estimates Challenge Program

As one of the fastest growing states in the nation year after year, one challenge that continues to emerge is ensuring census numbers at the county level keep up with the actual growth. Last fall at IAC’s Annual Conference, many county officials participated in a workshop about a recently conducted study by the University of Idaho’s McClure Center about census trends in Idaho. During that presentation multiple county officials voiced concerns over inaccuracies in their counties. Expressing that they had concerns about being undercounted during the last U.S. Census Bureau. This is critical data for counties, whether it be used for planning for growth, projecting future needs, qualifying for various funding that may be based at least in part on population, to legislative representation.

If you feel that your county’s population has been undercounted, your county now has the opportunity to challenge that. By participating in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Challenge Program, you can initiate a formal challenge and provide specific and localized data to ensure that every resident is counted. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “The challenge period for the July 1, 2021-2025 county-level population estimates from Vintage 2025 begins on March 26, 2026 and ends on June 24, 2026.” Click here to learn more about how to challenge your county-level population estimates.

If you’d like to learn more about Idaho’s growing population, the University of Idaho’s McClure Center for Public Policy Research has published a fantastic brief highlighting recent growth trends and what that might mean for all of Idaho’s counties. To view this presentation, please click here!