New population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau place Ohio's population at 11,542,645.

That's an increase of 1.7 percent since the 2000 Census.

But Ohio so far lags the national growth rate of more than 9 percent that the Buckeye State is in line to lose two congressional seats if the trend holds true with the 2010 Census.

In dropping to 16 members of Congress, Ohio would be the only state to lose two seats.

Census 2010 numbers likely will be released in late December next year, setting the number of Congressional seats for each state.

However, there remains the possiblity that Ohio will lose just one seat.

Using a calculator from the University of Michigan's Population Studies Center and applying the 2009 estimates, Ohio is 42,753 people short of securing 17 seats in Congress instead of the projected 16.

Texas would gain the most seats, three, in increasing to 35.



Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Washington would pick up single seats.

Losing one seat each would be Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Ohio had 24 members of the House of Representatives during the 1960s, slipped to 23 during the 1970s, 21 during the 1980s and 19 during the 1990s before falling to the current total of 18.

Projections based on the 2008 estimates a year ago showed Ohio dropping to 17 seats. Applying the new estimates for 2009, Ohio would lose two seats to slip to 16.

Here are the latest estimates and congressional seat projections.