Virginia is one of several states that just received their neighborhood-level census data. This data, breaking down population changes at the most local levels, is what will allow the state to redraw its political maps to reflect population changes—which is expected to have a major impact on regional balances of power within the state.
A fun new widget from the Census Bureau gives the public a great visual peek at where the balances have shifted over the last ten years. The widget is an interactive map—it has population growth displayed by county and charts of state-level demographic changes. While it won’t let you get your hands dirty with some do-it-yourself redistricting, it does clue you in on which regions have gained population and will be gaining in representation, once the lines are drawn.
So far the Census Bureau has released versions for the states that received their neighborhood-level data last week. Have a look below!