Los Angeles, 13 August 2021 (tca/dpa/MIA) - The US Census Bureau released detailed data Thursday on last year’s population count, paving the way for a frenzied rush to redraw congressional and legislative districts and shape the political landscape for the next decade. The local-level results, which had been delayed because of the pandemic, also provide an updated picture of the country’s diversifying demographics. White people make up 57.8 per cent of the total population, the largest racial or ethnic group in the nation, but that group’s share of the overall populace declined from the previous census. Latinos make up 18.7 per cent of the country’s population, the second most prevalent group overall; in California, Latinos were the largest ethnic group, making up 39.4 per cent of the state’s residents. “Our analysis of the 2020 census results show that the U.S. population is much more multiracial and more racially and ethnically diverse than what we have measured in the past,” said Nicholas Jones, director of race and ethnicity outreach for the Census Bureau’s population division. The findings show the national population increasing by 7.4 per cent over the last decade — the second slowest rate of growth, after the Great Depression era, in the country’s history. The first round of census data, released in April, revealed which states gained or lost seats in Congress based on their populations. This time, the information is more granular, examining how counties, cities and communities gained or lost residents. The slowdown in growth was particularly pronounced on the county level, with 52 per cent having fewer residents in 2020 than they did 10 years ago. Population increases were concentrated largely in metro areas.