diff --git a/pipelines/hubverse_create_observed_data_tables.py b/pipelines/hubverse_create_observed_data_tables.py
index 660e613f..873a5028 100644
--- a/pipelines/hubverse_create_observed_data_tables.py
+++ b/pipelines/hubverse_create_observed_data_tables.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def save_observed_data_tables(
                     first_training_date=datetime.date(2023, 1, 1),
                     state_pop_df=state_pop,
                 ),
-                ["US"] + [x for x in state_pop["abb"]],
+                state_pop.get_column("abb").to_list(),
             )
         ).filter(pl.col("disease") == disease)
         for disease in ["COVID-19", "Influenza", "RSV", "Total"]
diff --git a/pipelines/prep_data.py b/pipelines/prep_data.py
index 455b6d60..a18c49cc 100644
--- a/pipelines/prep_data.py
+++ b/pipelines/prep_data.py
@@ -147,10 +147,15 @@ def process_state_level_data(
     disease_key = _disease_map.get(disease, disease)
 
     if state_abb == "US":
+        locations_to_aggregate = (
+            state_pop_df.filter(pl.col("abb") != "US")
+            .get_column("abb")
+            .unique()
+        )
         logger.info("Aggregating state-level data to national")
         state_level_nssp_data = aggregate_to_national(
             state_level_nssp_data,
-            state_pop_df["abb"].unique(),
+            locations_to_aggregate,
             first_training_date,
             national_geo_value="US",
         )
@@ -205,9 +210,14 @@ def aggregate_facility_level_nssp_to_state(
 
     if state_abb == "US":
         logger.info("Aggregating facility-level data to national")
+        locations_to_aggregate = (
+            state_pop_df.filter(pl.col("abb") != "US")
+            .get_column("abb")
+            .unique()
+        )
         facility_level_nssp_data = aggregate_to_national(
             facility_level_nssp_data,
-            state_pop_df["abb"].unique(),
+            locations_to_aggregate,
             first_training_date,
             national_geo_value="US",
         )
@@ -247,20 +257,12 @@ def verify_no_date_gaps(df: pl.DataFrame):
 
 
 def get_state_pop_df():
-    census_dat = pl.read_csv(
-        "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/k5cents/usa/master/data-raw/facts.csv"
-    ).rename({"name": "long_name"})
-
-    state_pop_df = forecasttools.location_table.join(
-        census_dat, on="long_name", how="right"
-    ).select(
+    return forecasttools.location_table.select(
         pl.col("short_name").alias("abb"),
         pl.col("long_name").alias("name"),
         pl.col("population"),
     )
 
-    return state_pop_df
-
 
 def get_pmfs(param_estimates: pl.LazyFrame, state_abb: str, disease: str):
     generation_interval_pmf = (
@@ -327,14 +329,9 @@ def process_and_save_state(
 
     state_pop_df = get_state_pop_df()
 
-    if state_abb == "US":
-        state_pop = state_pop_df["population"].sum()
-    else:
-        state_pop = (
-            state_pop_df.filter(pl.col("abb") == state_abb)
-            .get_column("population")
-            .to_list()[0]
-        )
+    state_pop = state_pop_df.filter(pl.col("abb") == state_abb).item(
+        0, "population"
+    )
 
     (generation_interval_pmf, delay_pmf, right_truncation_pmf) = get_pmfs(
         param_estimates=param_estimates, state_abb=state_abb, disease=disease
diff --git a/pipelines/tests/test_prep_data.py b/pipelines/tests/test_prep_data.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1f8c5585
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pipelines/tests/test_prep_data.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+from pipelines import prep_data
+
+
+def test_get_state_pop_df():
+    """
+    Confirm get_state_pop_df()
+    returns a polars data frame
+    with the expected number of rows
+    and expected column names
+    """
+    df = prep_data.get_state_pop_df()
+    assert df.height == 58  # 50 states, 7 other jursidictions, US national
+    assert set(df.columns) == set(["name", "abb", "population"])
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 7d058eb5..bdbc5c9a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ pypdf = "^5.1.0"
 pyarrow = "^18.0.0"
 pygit2 = "^1.17.0"
 azuretools = {git = "https://github.com/cdcgov/cfa-azuretools"}
-forecasttools = {git = "https://github.com/CDCgov/forecasttools-py"}
+forecasttools = {git = "https://github.com/cdcgov/forecasttools-py"}
 tomli-w = "^1.1.0"
 
 [tool.poetry.group.test]