Center of population stays in Missouri, moves west by 11.8 miles

[Sherman A1]

For the fifth time, the center of population in the United States is in Missouri.

The Census Bureau on Tuesday announced it moved 11.8 miles, from near Plato, MO, to near Hartville, MO. The actual coordinates are 37.415725 N, 92.346525 W.

According to the Census Bureau, "the center of population is the point at which an imaginary, weightless, rigid, and flat (no elevation effects) surface representation of the 50 states (or 48 conterminous states for calculations made prior to 1960) and the District of Columbia would balance if weights of identical size were placed on it so that each weight represented the location of one person."

The mayor of Hartville is happy about the designation. “It's a great feeling to live in Hartville," said Mayor Rob Tucker in a release. "It has always been a town with a big heart and is now the heart of America."

https://krcgtv.com/news/local/center-of-population-stays-in-missouri-moves-west-by-118-miles

[honest.abe]

1. When I was in high school the center of pop was my home town. Mascoutah Illinois in 1970.

It was such big deal for us. We even made the national news.