Census says D.C. population over 600K

UPDATED

The District's population has surpassed the milestone marker of 600,000 residents, reversing a half century of decline and marking the first increase since Harry S. Truman was president.

Results for the 2010 Census announced Tuesday show the nation's capital growing steadily over the past decade, fueled by a real estate boom and the federal government's massive response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Data provided by U.S. Census Bureau.

The 601,723 residents counted earlier this year represents an increase of 5.2 percent from 572,000 in 2000.

The turnaround follows a long, precipitous loss in population that began with suburban flight in the 1950s.

After two decades of explosive growth during the New Deal and World War II, the District reached its peak of 802,000 in the 1950 census. The city has gotten smaller with every decennial census since then until this one.

The entire region has experienced a population boom -- gains that continued during the recession.

Maryland's population grew 9 percent from 5.3 million in 2000 to 5.7 million this year, while Virginia's soared by 13 percent, from from 7.1 million a decade ago to 8 million this year. The 2010 census counts at the county level will not be available until late winter, but census estimates show surges in the suburbs as well.

The overall population in the United States grew to 308,745,538, up from 281,421,906 in 2000.

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11:41 a.m.
The District’s population has surpassed the milestone marker of 600,000 residents, reversing a half century of decline and marking the first increase since Harry S. Truman was president, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday.

The District's population grew by 5.2 percent over the past decade, while Virginia's rose by 13 percent and Maryland's by 9 percent.

Data provided by U.S. Census Bureau.