How many people each House seat represents, state by state

After the 2020 Census, one House seat in Delaware represents 990,837 people, the highest in the nation. In Montana, each of its 2 seats represents 542,704, the lowest in the nation. The figure divides each state's apportionment population by its number of seats; the middle state, by this measure, is at 763,247¹.

Delaware990,837

Idaho920,689

West Virginia897,523

South Dakota887,770

Utah818,813

Iowa798,102

Arizona795,436

Oklahoma792,703

Ohio787,257

Virginia786,777

Massachusetts781,497

North Dakota779,702

New York777,529

Nevada777,116

Louisiana776,911

Michigan775,726

New Jersey774,541

Maryland773,160

Washington771,595

Florida770,376

Missouri770,035

Tennessee768,544

Texas767,981

Georgia766,091

Pennsylvania765,403

California761,091

Indiana754,476

Illinois754,279

Arkansas753,439

Kentucky751,557

North Carolina746,711

Mississippi740,979

Wisconsin737,184

Alaska736,081

Kansas735,216

South Carolina732,102

Hawaii730,069

Colorado722,771

Connecticut721,660

Alabama718,579

Minnesota713,719

Oregon706,917

New Mexico706,740

New Hampshire689,545

Maine681,791

Nebraska654,444

Vermont643,503

Wyoming577,719

Rhode Island549,082

Montana542,704

Source: Census Bureau, 2020 Census Apportionment Results, Table 1. Period: 2020 Census.

Show the numbers

State	Apportionment population per House seat
Delaware	990,837
Idaho	920,689
West Virginia	897,523
South Dakota	887,770
Utah	818,813
Iowa	798,102
Arizona	795,436
Oklahoma	792,703
Ohio	787,257
Virginia	786,777
Massachusetts	781,497
North Dakota	779,702
New York	777,529
Nevada	777,116
Louisiana	776,911
Michigan	775,726
New Jersey	774,541
Maryland	773,160
Washington	771,595
Florida	770,376
Missouri	770,035
Tennessee	768,544
Texas	767,981
Georgia	766,091
Pennsylvania	765,403
California	761,091
Indiana	754,476
Illinois	754,279
Arkansas	753,439
Kentucky	751,557
North Carolina	746,711
Mississippi	740,979
Wisconsin	737,184
Alaska	736,081
Kansas	735,216
South Carolina	732,102
Hawaii	730,069
Colorado	722,771
Connecticut	721,660
Alabama	718,579
Minnesota	713,719
Oregon	706,917
New Mexico	706,740
New Hampshire	689,545
Maine	681,791
Nebraska	654,444
Vermont	643,503
Wyoming	577,719
Rhode Island	549,082
Montana	542,704

Highest and lowest population per seat

The five states with the most people per seat are Delaware (990,837), Idaho (920,688), West Virginia (897,522), South Dakota (887,770) and Utah (818,813). The five with the fewest are Montana (542,704), Rhode Island (549,082), Wyoming (577,719), Vermont (643,503) and Nebraska (654,444¹).

None of these ten states has more than 4 seats. Delaware, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming have one each; Idaho, West Virginia, Rhode Island and Montana have 2; Nebraska has 3 and Utah 4¹. Seats come in whole numbers, so when a state has very few of them, its ratio depends on where its population falls between the size that earns one seat and the size that earns the next.

Within each region the spread is wide too. In the West it runs from Montana (542,704) to Idaho (920,688); in the Midwest from Nebraska (654,444) to South Dakota (887,770); in the Northeast from Rhode Island (549,082) to Massachusetts (781,497); and in the South from Alabama (718,579) to Delaware (990,837¹).

Single-seat states sit at both ends

A state with one seat has a ratio equal to its whole apportionment population, close to its census count. That puts the single-seat states anywhere on the scale:

Delaware's single seat covers the most people of any seat in the country; Wyoming's covers the third fewest. North Dakota and Alaska sit near the middle of the ranking, 12th highest and 17th lowest¹.

The per-seat figure is slightly above each state's census count because apportionment adds US military personnel and federal civilian employees stationed abroad, with their dependents, to their home states, as the Census Bureau describes.

The District of Columbia counted 689,545² residents in 2020, more than Vermont or Wyoming, but it is not included in the apportionment calculation and has no voting seat, so it has no per-seat figure.

Two-seat states: Montana, Rhode Island, Idaho and West Virginia

The states with 2 seats show how much the second seat matters. Montana and Rhode Island have the lowest ratios in the country; Idaho and West Virginia¹ have the second- and third-highest.

Montana gained its second seat after the 2020 Census. Its count, 1,084,225, was up 9.6% from 989,415 in 2010, 15th highest² among the states. With the seat split in two, its ratio became the lowest in the nation, lower than every bordering state (Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming)¹.

Rhode Island kept both its seats with a 2020 count of 1,097,379², so each represents 549,082¹.

West Virginia moved the other way. Its count fell between the two censuses by −3.2%², the steepest fall of the three states that shrank (Mississippi and Illinois were the others), and it lost a seat. Its remaining 2 seats each represent 897,522, 3rd highest¹.

Idaho has the highest ratio of any multi-seat state, 920,688¹. It grew 17.3% between 2010 and 2020, 2nd highest², but not enough for a third seat.

Large states cluster near the middle

With many seats, a state's ratio cannot stray far from the national pattern, because one seat more or less changes it only a little. The states with the most seats all fall within a narrow band around the median of 763,247¹:

• California: 52 seats, 761,091 per seat (25th lowest)
• Texas: 38 seats, 767,981 per seat (23rd highest)
• Florida: 28 seats, 770,376 per seat (20th highest)
• New York: 26 seats, 777,529 per seat (13th highest¹)

California's 52 seats are most, against 6¹ for the median state. The full count by state is in the table at the end of this page.

The seats that moved after 2020

These are the states whose number of seats changed after the 2020 Census, with their population growth between the 2010 and 2020 censuses and their rank on it.

Seats follow relative growth, not just growth. Every state that lost a seat grew more slowly than the nation's 7.4%², and West Virginia, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania were among the slowest-growing states. California and New York still added residents over the decade but lost a seat each as other states grew faster.

The reverse also holds: fast growth does not guarantee a new seat. Utah grew the most of any state, 18.4%, and Idaho the second most, 17.3%, yet neither gained a seat. Both now have ratios among the five highest: 818,813 in Utah and 920,688¹ in Idaho. Nevada (15.0%, 5th highest) and Washington (14.6%²) also grew faster than the nation without a new seat.

The Census Bureau assigns seats with the method of equal proportions, adopted by Congress after the 1940 Census: each state first receives one seat, and the remaining seats go one at a time to the states with the strongest claim given their population.

Populations have kept moving since the count

The seats stay fixed until the 2030 Census, but populations do not. Between April 2020 and July 2025, the Census Bureau's estimates show Idaho growing fastest (10.36%), followed by Florida (8.93%), South Carolina (8.83%), Texas (8.78%) and Utah (8.17%). The national change over the same period was 3.10%⁴.

At the other end, West Virginia (−1.54%), Hawaii (−1.54%), New York (−1.00%), Louisiana (−0.85%) and Illinois (−0.80%⁴) had fewer residents in July 2025 than at the 2020 base.

Idaho10.36%

Florida8.93%

South Carolina8.83%

Texas8.78%

Utah8.17%

North Carolina7.25%

Delaware7.07%

Arizona6.51%

Tennessee5.83%

Nevada5.69%

Montana5.58%

Georgia5.50%

South Dakota5.46%

Oklahoma4.14%

Colorado4.11%

Washington3.81%

Maine3.79%

Arkansas3.43%

Alabama3.34%

United States3.10%

Virginia2.88%

Nebraska2.86%

New Jersey2.79%

Indiana2.75%

New Hampshire2.74%

North Dakota2.60%

Connecticut2.24%

Kentucky2.23%

Minnesota2.17%

Wyoming2.06%

Missouri1.88%

Massachusetts1.72%

Rhode Island1.56%

Iowa1.50%

Maryland1.35%

Kansas1.34%

Wisconsin1.33%

Ohio0.86%

Oregon0.86%

District of Columbia0.59%

Alaska0.53%

Michigan0.48%

Pennsylvania0.44%

New Mexico0.38%

Vermont0.25%

Mississippi−0.24%

California−0.51%

Illinois−0.80%

Louisiana−0.85%

New York−1.00%

Hawaii−1.54%

West Virginia−1.54%

Source: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. Period: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025.

Show the numbers

State	Growth since 2020
Idaho	10.36%
Florida	8.93%
South Carolina	8.83%
Texas	8.78%
Utah	8.17%
North Carolina	7.25%
Delaware	7.07%
Arizona	6.51%
Tennessee	5.83%
Nevada	5.69%
Montana	5.58%
Georgia	5.50%
South Dakota	5.46%
Oklahoma	4.14%
Colorado	4.11%
Washington	3.81%
Maine	3.79%
Arkansas	3.43%
Alabama	3.34%
United States	3.10%
Virginia	2.88%
Nebraska	2.86%
New Jersey	2.79%
Indiana	2.75%
New Hampshire	2.74%
North Dakota	2.60%
Connecticut	2.24%
Kentucky	2.23%
Minnesota	2.17%
Wyoming	2.06%
Missouri	1.88%
Massachusetts	1.72%
Rhode Island	1.56%
Iowa	1.50%
Maryland	1.35%
Kansas	1.34%
Wisconsin	1.33%
Ohio	0.86%
Oregon	0.86%
District of Columbia	0.59%
Alaska	0.53%
Michigan	0.48%
Pennsylvania	0.44%
New Mexico	0.38%
Vermont	0.25%
Mississippi	−0.24%
California	−0.51%
Illinois	−0.80%
Louisiana	−0.85%
New York	−1.00%
Hawaii	−1.54%
West Virginia	−1.54%

Florida and Texas, which gained seats after 2020, are again among the fastest growers, while New York, Illinois and West Virginia, which lost seats, are among the states that shrank. These are estimates, revised every year; only the 2030 count will decide the next allocation, and this page does not project it.

Electoral votes follow the same count

Each state's electoral votes are its number of House seats plus two for its senators, according to the National Archives, and the current allocation, based on the 2020 Census, applies to the 2024 and 2028 presidential elections. California has the most, 54, followed by Texas (40), Florida (30) and New York (28). The single-seat states have 3 each, and the District of Columbia, which has no voting House seat, also has 3⁵. Electoral votes therefore track House seats one for one above that floor; the population per House seat is the measure this page ranks.

Every state: seats, people per seat and electoral votes

About these figures

The seat counts and per-seat figures come from the Census Bureau's 2020 apportionment results, released in April 2021. The apportionment population differs from the resident count used elsewhere on this site because it includes federal employees and military personnel stationed abroad, assigned to their home states. It is a census figure, not an estimate, and it has no margin of error. Congressional district populations within a state are set when each state redraws its districts and are not covered here; this site reports states only. For how the census count relates to the annual estimates, see why a state has several official populations.