The deck is short a few cards compared with 10 years ago, but the hand dealt to Vicksburg and Warren County from the 2010 Census doesn’t seem to have changed the game when it comes to landing federal dollars and attracting jobs.

New census data revealed population countywide fell slightly in the past decade, to 48,773, down 1.75 percent from the 2000 count. Losses from the city were greater, but no less unexpected — 23,856, off the pace set in the 1990s by 9.7 percent. Reflecting a national trend, Hispanics and Asians were found to be growing at a faster rate than blacks, while whites maintained an ever-thinning majority. People claiming more than one race went up, too.

More people returned their questionnaires this time, lessening any argument for an under-count. The return rate was 71 percent in Warren County, versus 63 percent 10 years ago. Census forms in 2010 focused on raw totals and ethnicity and didn’t feature questions dealing with personal income.

Supervisors have placed much faith in what their hired consultants have said: the numbers are technically accurate and, at the end of the day, after misapplied information is corrected, another lengthy redraw won’t be required. City officials have yet to examine their own numbers, though population loss inside the city appears assured even if ward lines don’t move again.

What they mean for those who lobby for federal dollars often geared to population is old news, really. They’ll have to keep organizing trips to Washington, D.C., and keep showing a united front to the state’s congressional delegation who holds sway on funding to shore up bridges, fix roads and build houses. Naturally, those juices flow slowly — but officials have shown they’re a persistent lot when grants might substitute for a tax.

For those whose job it is to grow more jobs — and keep the ones that are here — the numbers might hold lessons in the finer details. Segments of the population that formerly barely registered a blip on the demographic radar screen now represent a chance to sell a vibrant, diverse community that can embrace change.

The time between now and 2020 will tell whether the changing look of Warren County will translate into tangible opportunity for all.