Almost 10% of Florida’s youngest children were missed during the 2020 census

By MIKE SCHNEIDER
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Children age 4 and under in Florida were undercounted by almost 10% during the 2020 census. The estimated error was the largest undercount of young children by any U.S. state. That’s according to estimates released Thursday by the Census Bureau. More than 112,000 children age 4 or younger were overlooked in Florida. Vermont had the smallest undercount of young children during the 2020 tally, with a negligible rate of 0.02%. That’s the equivalent of six children. Preschool-age children are the most difficult age group to count and are regularly missed during the nation’s head count. It’s an oversight that can shortchange communities off federal funding for programs like Head Start.