Haines appeals Census Bureau count of 20% drop in population

The Haines Borough is challenging the U.S. Census Bureau’s official count of its population, saying the agency undercounted the town’s residents by almost 20%. The lower population number threatens millions of dollars of federal funding over the next decade.

The 2020 census reported Haines’ population at 2,080, down from 2,508 in the 2010 count.

“If we had lost almost 500 people, you would feel it in our town,” said Borough Clerk Alekka Fullerton. “You would see it in empty houses, in schools and in voter rolls.”

Census counts happen every 10 years and help determine congressional and legislat...