From the Associated Press:
Boston has successfully challenged its U.S. Census Bureau population estimate.
The city won an argument with the federal government that Boston’s population was 620,535 as of 2008.
So far, eight municipalities have challenged their numbers, adding 22,295 to the Massachusetts population estimate.
Secretary of StateWilliam Galvin said today that Massachusetts now has an overall estimate of more than 6.5 million.
The 2010 Census in April will be critical if the state hopes to avoid losing one of its 10 House seats to southern and western states that have seen population growth.
The Population Estimates Program at the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute assisted in revising Boston’s figures. And the Boston Redevelopment Authority provided specific data for the challenge that added 11,512 people to the city’s 2008 population estimate.