Research Guides: Government Information: U.S. Census

Census

The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States, and is required by the Constitution to take place every 10 years.

Starting Points for Census Statistics

Policy Map This link opens in a new window Create maps, tables, and reports with PolicyMap an online mapping tool with data on demographics, real estate, health, jobs and more in communities across the United States.
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Census.gov
Explore Census Data
U.S Census Bureau Data. Uses TigerLine Base Map Shapefiles.
About the US Census Bureau
Read about the US Census Bureau. You will see their mission, their authority and their goals. This web site explains what data they collect and how it is used.
Censuses & Surveys
The US Census Bureau conducts a number of censuses and surveys. Go to this web page to see the list and learn about each of them.
Decennial Census Official Publications
Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a census to determine the number of people living in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the census in years ending in zero, on Census Day, which is April 1.
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The data collected by the decennial census are used to apportion the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. The first U.S. census was in 1790 during the first term of our first president, George Washington. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson led the effort. The population was 3,929,625, and Congress used these results to apportion 105 seats among 15 states.
Data Visualization Gallery
The Census Bureau is working to increase their use of visualization in making data available to the public, and this gallery is an early part of that effort. The first posted visualizations will pertain largely to historical population data, building on prior work done to portray historical changes in the growth and redistribution of the U.S. population.
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For later visualizations, the topics will expand beyond decennial census data to include the full breadth of Census Bureau data sets and subject areas, from household and family dynamics, to migration and geographic mobility, to economic indicators.
United States Census Bureau History
1940 Census
Visit the National Archives Web site to access 1940 Census records