WESTFIELD – City officials expect more than 1,500 new residents have moved to Westfield in the past 10 years and are looking for a total population of at least 42,125 in the 2010 federal census that begins in April.
Both Westfield and Springfield successfully challenged preliminary figures posted by the federal Census Board.
Springfield’s estimated population now stands at 155,521, residents compared to 152,071 based on the 2000 federal census. Westfield’s 2000 population was 40,072.
“It was worth a challenge,” said Mayor Michael R. Boulanger. “It is important to have an accurate as possible count of city residents. Just for funding purposes, most federal and state grants and allocations are based on a per capita amount.”
City Clerk Karen M. Fanion agreed, noting her office uses federal census numbers when responding to all questions concerning population.
Federal census numbers are also used to determine the number of legislative representatives in Congress.
Secretary of State William Galvin said recent challenges by Worcester, Fitchburg, Springfield and Westfield added about 16,500 people and a similar appeal of federal estimates is on file by the city of Boston.
Massachusetts currently has 10 U.S. House of Representative members. State officials fear the state could lose a House seat because of anticipated population loss statewide since 2000.
Susan G. Strate, director of the population estimate program at the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute, said few challenges have been filed this year concerning the census. Westfield and Springfield were the only ones from Western Massachusetts.
The discrepancy between local population numbers and federal census estimates were the result of over-estimates on housing demolition, according to Strate.
“We looked at several factors and reviewed the input that showed less demolition of public and other housing in this region,” she said.
Accurate counting of residents is critical, according to Strate, because “it sets a base or standard for the next 10 years in the amounts of federal funding, health care statistics, transportation and emergency planning for each community.”
Chicopee and West Springfield officials did not file appeals this year but, like Westfield and Springfield, are anticipating slight increases in population as a result of the 2010 census.
“I hope we are closer to 1,000 people more based on an increase in our voter registration, new development, new construction and the new women’s jail facility,” said Chicopee’s Registrar of Voters Janina A. Surdyka.
Chicopee’s population in 2000 was 54,653 with 31,764 registered to vote. The city’s 2008 local census shows registered voters increased to 34,010, Surdyka said.
West Springfield City Clerk Diane F. Foley expects population to increase slightly because of new residential developments that have opened since the 2000 count. West Springfield’s population in 2000 was 27,899.
Population of nearby cities
Here is the population of other local cities according to the 2000 federal census:
Staff writers Pam Metaxas and Chris Hamel contributed to this report.