After the 2020 census, California’s 40 state Senators represent an average of 989,419 people each. Each Senator in the 31-member Texas State Senate represents an average of 941,396 people. Both of those figures are larger than the average number of people represented by each member of the U.S. House of Representatives—761,169 people per district.
The largest ratio of population per member among state Representatives is also in California, where the Golden State’s 80 Assembly members represent an average of 494,709 people per district. Texas is again in second place as the 151 members of its state House represent an average of 194,555 people each.
On average, each of the country’s 1,973 state senators represent 167,820 people each after the 2020 census. The country’s 5,413 state representatives represent an average of 61,169 people each.
Among state Senates, North Dakota’s Senators represent the fewest people per district, an average of 16,589 per senator. Among state Representatives, New Hampshire’s represent the fewest at 3,448 people each.
Wyoming was the only state that changed its number of legislators after the 2020 census. The state added one Senate seat and two House of Representatives seats. All other states kept the number of legislators the same. Minnesota has the largest state Senate with 67 members, and New Hampshire has the largest state House with 400 members.
Forty-six of the 50 states had the average number of residents per legislator increase. In three states—Illinois, Mississippi, and West Virginia—this ratio decreased because they had lower populations after the 2020 census as compared with the 2010 census. In Wyoming, the ratio of population per legislator also decreased because that state increased its number of legislators.
Here are the states with the largest number of residents per state Senate district:
- California – 989,419
- Texas – 941,396
- Florida – 539,263
- Ohio – 357,844
- New York – 320,885
Here are the states with the smallest number of residents per state Senate district:
- North Dakota – 16,589
- Wyoming – 18,636
- Vermont – 21,450
- Montana – 21,708
- South Dakota – 25,365
Here are the states with the largest number of residents per state House district:
- California – 494,709
- Texas – 194,555
- Florida – 179,754
- New York – 134,772
- Arizona – 119,315
Here are the states with the smallest number of residents per state House district:
- New Hampshire – 3,448
- Vermont – 4,290
- North Dakota – 8,295
- Maine – 9,030
- Wyoming – 9,318