2020 Census Data Shows Demographic Shifts In I.V.

The U.S. conducts a census count every 10 years to ascertain an updated count of the U.S. population. The data then dictates the number of seats per state within the House of Representatives. The census also informs distribution of funds, assistance to states and localities, redistricting and reapportion of Congressional seats. The country’s 24th Census asked U.S. residents how many people live in their household, as well as their gender, age, birthday and race. According to the 2020 Census, between 2010 and 2020, the population of I.V. and number of people living in UC Santa Barbara-affiliated housing increased by 678 and 1,436, respectively. The data collected from the 2020 Census shows that white people make up 47% of I.V.’s population. White people are overrepresented on Del Playa Drive, making up 60 to 83% of the population on various parts of the street. In addition, white people are the majority demographic at West Campus Faculty Housing— a set of condos provided to UCSB faculty members — at 74%. In comparison to 2010, the Black population living at UCSB and in I.V. has gone from 2.6% to 1.8% in 2020. This decrease is in line with the county’s trends as well, where the Black population went from 2% in 2010 to 1.6% in 2020. However, because many students lived in their respective familial households instead of their I.V. residences when the census was collecting data, “hundreds of thousands of U.S. college students who normally live off campus in non-university housing” counted themselves in alternative locations, the Associated Press reported. Read the full Article