Congressional Districts Defined

A congressional district is a geographical area represented by a single member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, with each district electing one representative to serve a 2-year term.

The number of districts per state is determined by population, as measured by the U.S. Census every 10 years. States with larger populations have more districts, while less populous states may have only one.

How District Numbers Work

Each congressional district within a state is assigned a number, typically from 1 upward. For example:

• California has 52 districts (CA-1 through CA-52)
• Texas has 38 districts (TX-1 through TX-38)
• New York has 26 districts (NY-1 through NY-26)

Seven states have only one representative and are called "at-large" districts: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming. The District of Columbia has a non-voting delegate.

Apportionment: How Districts Are Allocated

After each census (conducted every 10 years), the 435 House seats are reapportioned among the 50 states based on population changes. This process is called apportionment.

States that gained population may receive additional seats, while states that lost population may lose seats. For example, after the 2020 Census:

• Texas gained 2 seats (from 36 to 38)
• Florida gained 1 seat (from 27 to 28)
• California lost 1 seat (from 53 to 52)
• New York lost 1 seat (from 27 to 26)

Apportionment ensures that House representation reflects the current distribution of the U.S. population.

Redistricting: Drawing District Boundaries

Once a state knows how many House seats it has, it must draw the district boundaries. This process is called redistricting and typically happens every 10 years following the census.

In most states, the state legislature controls redistricting, though some states use independent commissions to draw district lines. Districts must have roughly equal populations to ensure fair representation (the "one person, one vote" principle established by Supreme Court cases in the 1960s).

Gerrymandering

Gerrymandering refers to drawing district boundaries to favor one political party over another. Districts can be manipulated through "packing" (concentrating opposition voters in few districts) or "cracking" (spreading them thinly across many districts).

While gerrymandering is controversial and can undermine fair representation, the Supreme Court has ruled that federal courts cannot intervene in cases of partisan gerrymandering, leaving reform efforts to states and voters.

Why Some States Have More Representatives

Congressional representation is based on population, not land area or state boundaries. This means states with more residents have more House seats and more influence in the House of Representatives.

California, with nearly 40 million people, has 52 representatives. Wyoming, with about 580,000 people, has 1 representative. However, in the Senate, both states have equal representation with 2 senators each, balancing population-based representation in the House with state-based representation in the Senate.

Finding Your Congressional District

Want to know which congressional district you live in? You can:

• Use our interactive map to explore all 435 congressional districts
• Visit House.gov's "Find Your Representative" tool
• Search for your state on our site to see all districts and representatives

When Do District Boundaries Change?

District boundaries are redrawn after each census, typically taking effect for elections in years ending in 2 (2022, 2032, etc.). Between redistricting cycles, district boundaries remain the same even as populations shift within the district.

The current districts (as of 2026) were drawn based on the 2020 Census and will remain in place until after the 2030 Census, when new district lines will be drawn for the 2032 elections.