City leaders in Boulder challenged U.S. Census Bureau data ten years ago and they may do it again following newly released numbers that place the city’s population below their own estimate.
Boulder's population has grown 2.9 % from the 2000 count but city leaders say the official 2010 count and an earlier estimate from the Census Bureau are nowhere close to matching. City planner Chris Meschuk expected a difference– but not as much as what came out this week.
“You know last year the Census estimated that we had over 100,000 people and now they’ve come back and said that its 97,000,” says Meschuk.
97,385 to be exact. Accurate census data is vital for local communities when it comes to acquiring federal funding for things like schools and health programs. Meschuck says they will closely study the data to see if there are any errors in counting which could happen, he says, especially with people living in dormitories and nursing homes.
