New state population estimates revised Redmond’s count down to 37,140; staff say revised figure won’t cut shared revenue this year

Portland State University’s Population Research Center issued a set of revised estimates that affected Redmond’s official population number used for state shared‑revenue calculations.

Staff told the council that PSU posted a preliminary number that was lower than the city expected after PSU revised prior years’ estimates. City staff said they supplied additional local data — including residential water usage for the non‑irrigation months and dwelling‑unit counts — and worked with PSU to request an upward adjustment. "We provided them some water usage data… we were able to say, hey, we think it's 38. We actually think it's 39. But at a minimum… you should move it up to 37," a staff member said. PSU revised the figure to 37,140 as of July 1, 2024.

Staff explained that because PSU adjusted counts across many cities in the state, the revision does not create a negative shared‑revenue impact for Redmond this year. Had the city’s relative share changed differently from other cities, the outcome could have affected state allocations. The staff briefing noted that PSU’s per‑household multipliers have trended down (for example, from 2.6 toward 2.42) and that water‑account growth alone does not directly translate into a higher population estimate without accounting for household‑size assumptions.

Councilors asked whether cities can supply additional inputs or ask PSU to reassess the numbers; staff said the city can and should provide verifiable data and suggested inviting a PSU representative to a council meeting to explain methodology and inputs.

Staff concluded the briefing by saying there is no immediate negative financial impact from PSU’s revision but warned the issue bears watching because the estimate underlies planning, capital projects and shared‑revenue calculations.