How Are U.S. House of Representatives Seats Allocated to Each State?

Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution outlines how seats in the House of Representatives are allocated to each state. The key points are:

Minimum Representation

Every state is guaranteed at least one seat in the House of Representatives, regardless of population.

Apportionment Based on Population

The total number of seats a state receives is based on its population relative to the other states. The more people a state has, the more House seats it gets.

The Constitution originally set the total number of House seats at 65, with each state receiving a minimum of one. The number of seats has increased over time as the U.S. population has grown, reaching the current 435 seats.

After each decennial census, the 435 seats are reapportioned among the states based on their current populations. States that have gained population relative to other states will gain House seats, while states that have lost population will lose seats.

The process of redrawing the geographic boundaries of House districts within each state is called redistricting. This is done by state legislatures after each census to account for population changes and ensure districts have roughly equal populations.