Missouri projected to lag in population growth

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is projected to have almost 6 million residents by the time of the next census in 2010.

The state Office of Administration on Friday released updated population projections for Missouri going out to 2030. By then, the state is projected to have more than 6.7 million people -- a 21 percent increase over the 2000 census.

But Missouri is projected to continue growing at a slower rate than the national population.

At the beginning of the 1900s, Missouri's population ranked fifth in the nation. In the 2000 census, Missouri had slipped to 17th.

The 2010 census will determine whether Missouri loses one of its nine congressional seats because of faster population growth elsewhere.