The U.S. Census Bureau released estimates showing that children age 4 and under in Florida were undercounted by almost 10% during the 2020 census, the largest undercount of young children by any U.S. state. Over 112,000 children in this age group were overlooked in Florida during the tally, which has implications for federal funding and political power every 10 years. Demographic Analysis estimates using administrative records were used to determine the size of the population, with Vermont having the smallest undercount of young children during the 2020 census at just 0.02%.
Preschool-age children are consistently the most challenging age group to count accurately during the census, leading to potential funding shortfalls for programs like Head Start in communities. Nationally, an estimated 1 million children age 4 and under were overlooked during the 2020 census, representing an undercount of almost 5.5%. Parents may not realize that they need to include their babies on census forms, and children in multigenerational households or living in two households due to joint custody arrangements are often missed.
The undercounts of young children during the 2020 census are often linked to undercounts of specific race and ethnicity groups, as well as other factors that were not directly measured. Census Bureau Director Robert Santos stated that efforts are underway to address this issue and improve accuracy in counting young children moving forward. The accurate count of all residents during the census is crucial in determining how many congressional seats each state receives, as well as in allocating federal funding for essential programs and services.
The Census Bureau uses tools like Demographic Analysis to assess the accuracy of its count of U.S. residents during the census process. The undercount of young children has significant implications for communities, affecting their access to federal funding for critical programs. In Florida, the undercount of children age 4 and under highlights the need for increased awareness and outreach to ensure that all residents are accurately counted in future censuses.
Despite efforts to improve accuracy, undercounting of young children remains a persistent issue during each census, with preschool-age children being particularly vulnerable to being missed in the count. The undercount of over 112,000 children in Florida alone underscores the importance of addressing this issue to ensure that communities receive the federal funding and political representation they are entitled to based on an accurate count of their population. Moving forward, continued efforts to raise awareness and improve outreach are crucial in minimizing the undercount of young children in future censuses.
