The U.S. Census Bureau recently released the 2020 Census population and housing unit counts for the U.S. Virgin Islands, revealing data Governor Albert Bryan warned would “shock” Virgin Islanders.

According to the U.S. Census, as of April 1, 2020, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ population was 87,146, representing a decrease of 18.1% from the 2010 Census population of 106,405. The housing unit count was 57,257 in 2020, representing an increase of 2.4% from the 2010 Census housing unit count of 55,901.

These population and housing unit count data, as of April 1, are collected once a decade during the decennial census. The 2020 Island Areas Censuses counted people living in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Census Bureau said it conducts the decennial census in partnership with the Island Areas governments in compliance with Title 13 of the United States Code and to meet the specific data needs of the Island Areas.

According to the Census,

• St. Croix’s population fell to 41,004 from 50,601 in 2010, a difference of 9,697.
• On St. Thomas, the drop in population was almost the same, with 42,261 currently from 51,634 in 2010, a difference of 9,373.
• On St. John, the population dropped to 3,881 from 4170 in 2010, realizing the smallest decrease of 289.

The USVI saw the steepest decline in all of the US territories.

According to the Census, Puerto Rico’s population declined 11.8 percent from 2010 to 3,285,874; the Northern Mariana Islands by 12.2 percent to 47,329; Guam by 3.5 percent to 153,836, and American Samoa by 10.5 percent to 49,710.