Northeast Michigan lost 4% of population over last decade
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ALPENA — Northeast Michigan lost 2,472 residents, or about 4% of its population, between the 2010 and 2020 federal censuses, according to data released Thursday.
State legislatures and (as is the case in Michigan) independent redistricting panels will use the community-level data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau to redraw congressional and legislative districts. The changes could help determine which party controls Congress and the state Legislature after the 2022 midterm elections.
Currently, Democrats have narrow majorities of both chambers of Congress and control the White House. Republicans control both chambers of the state Legislature, while Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is a Democrat.
Earlier state-level data released by the Census Bureau showed Michigan among seven states that will lose a congressional seat. The Great Lakes State will have 13 U.S House representatives after 2022, instead of 14.
Check out the interactive graphic below showing changes in population across Northeast Michigan. Story continues below graphic.
Northeast Michigan currently belongs to the 1st Congressional District represented by U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet. That district covers all of the Upper Peninsula and the northern third of the Lower Peninsula.
The data released Thursday showed all four Northeast Michigan counties lost residents.
Alpena County lost 291 residents, or about 2% of the population, between 2010 and 2020. Presque Isle County lost 394 residents, or about 3%. Montmorency County lost 612 residents, or more than 6%. And Alcona County lost the most, at 775 residents, or about 7%.
Alpena lost 286 people, or nearly 3%, while Alpena Township actually picked up 56 residents, growth of a little less than 1%.
Across all four counties, Northeast Michigan now counts 61,209 residents, down from 63,681 in 2010, according to the data released Thursday.
Many critics have questioned the accuracy of the 2020 count, given numerous delays and difficulties reaching people during the coronavirus pandemic that hit just as the count got underway early last year.