With the Census now complete and the counts for each state
finalized, now is the time to divide the seats in the House of
Representatives among the 50 states. In a process called
apportionment, the seats are divided based on the population
figures from each state. Through the animation below, the U.S.
Census Bureau explains how apportionment works and how the
apportionment formula is applied to ensure equal representation
for all, just as the constitution originally dictated. Growing
alongside the US population, which currently sits at 308,745,538
people, the number of seats in the House has increased from 65
Representatives in 1787 to it’s current number of 435, set in
1913. To view the history of apportionment and population
through the last century, be sure to check out the highly
detailed interactive map widget after the video.