The U.S. Has a New Center: Hartville, Missouri

The center cannot hold.

1 minute read

November 18, 2021, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


A map showing the location of Hartville, Missouri.

SevenMaps / Shutterstock

The U.S. Census Bureau this week announced the new center of population for the United States s a location near Hartville, a town of about 600 people in central southern Missouri.

The new center of population balance for the country is based on the 2020 Census population of 331.4 million, according to a Census Bureau press release announcing the change. The tradition of calculating the center of the country's population dates back to 1790, when the center was located in Kent County, Maryland, 23 miles east of Baltimore. The movement of the center across the decades tracks the migration of the U.S. population south and west.

The Census Bureau also calculates centers of population for each state, county, census tract and census block group, all of which can be found at the Center of Population webpage.

An article by Summer Ballantine for the Associated Press provides news coverage of the announcement.

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 in U.S. Census Bureau

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of man in manually operated wheelchair waiting at urban crosswalk.

Making Mobility More Inclusive

A new study highlights the challenges people with disabilities continue to face in navigating urban spaces.

30 minutes ago - Greater Good Magazine

US and Texas flags flying in front of Texas state capitol dome in Austin, Texas.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness

A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.

1 hour ago - The Texas Tribune

Person in yellow safety suit and white helmet kneels to examine water samples outdoors on a lake shore.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure

If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

2 hours ago - Inside Climate News