Minnesota narrowly misses losing U.S. House seat, keeps all 8

WASHINGTON (KVRR) – Minnesota has narrowly avoided losing a seat in Congress even though population growth in the state didn’t keep up with that of some other states.

Minnesota’s growth rate of 7.4% was slightly better than the nationwide rate of 7.1%, helping Minnesota keep all eight of the U.S. House seats it has had since the 1960s.

Minnesota may have been aided by a stronger-than-usual response to the Census Bureau’s survey.

Three-fourths of Minnesota residents voluntarily responded during the initial phase of the census, top among states and well ahead of the national average of a two-thirds response rate.