Population Estimates

Population Estimates Challenge Program

The effective date of the Population Estimates Challenge Program is February 4th, 2013.

Challenges to the population estimates must be received within 90 days after the original estimate release date.

As part of its authorization, the U.S. Census Bureau offers an opportunity for general-purpose governmental units to challenge these official estimates through its Population Estimates Challenge Program. Under this program, a governmental unit may challenge their population estimate by submitting additional data to the U.S. Census Bureau for evaluation.

A challenge may result in a revised estimate if either of the following errors are found:

1. Technical error in processing input data or producing the estimates.
2. Incorrect input data used in the process of generating the estimates.
   

In cases where the U.S. Census Bureau processed the information correctly but was provided incorrect input data, the U.S. Census Bureau will make reasonable efforts to provide corrected estimates.

If you have any concerns about the population estimates, the governmental unit can request information from the Census Bureau about how to challenge the population estimates. The procedures to follow to challenge the population estimates are described in the Challenge Review Guide.

For information about the challenge program regulations, please click on the Federal Register Notice.

For assistance, please contact the Population Estimates Program on 301-763-2385 or send us an email to Pop.challenge@census.gov. Please include your name, mailing address, telephone number and organization name.

Handling Legal Boundary Issues

If you believe that the recording of legal boundaries for your governmental unit is incorrect, the following option is open: The U.S. Census Bureau updates the geographic boundaries of governmental units through the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) with boundaries current to January 1. If you wish to participate in the BAS or if you have a question regarding your governmental unit boundaries, please contact the BAS Unit of the Census Bureau's Geography Division on 301-763-1099 or e-mail them at GEO.BAS@census.gov.

Reporting of Building Permits

Population estimates for cities and towns are commonly produced using building permit data gathered from a survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau's Residential Construction Branch in the Manufacturing and Construction Division (MCD). If your governmental unit is not being contacted by this survey or you disagree with the collected data, please contact the Residential Construction Branch on 301-763-5160. In the event that you decide to submit updated building permit data through the challenge process, the data may be subject to review by the staff in MCD.