Population articles
Which states have the highest and lowest rates of homelessness?
New York and Oregon have the highest US homelessness rates. Over five years, rates rose in all but four states and Washington, DC.
Why does daylight saving time exist?
Daylight saving, which began as a wartime energy‑saving measure, starts on Sunday, March 8, and ends on Sunday, November 7, 2026.
How many homeless people are in the US? What does the data miss?
Of the 745,652 people experiencing homelessness in January 2025, white adults ages 35 to 44 represented the largest demographic group.
How do voting laws differ by state?
Voter registration, ability to vote by mail, and ID requirements to vote in-person vary by state.
Just the Facts about the US population, demographics, and geography
Household size, racial demographics, the average age of an American: these stats are always changing. And who has a college degree? How many people are registered to vote? Here’s America by the numbers.
Is the US population growing or shrinking?
It grew by 1.78 million people between 2024 and 2025, a 0.52% increase. That’s more than the population of Phoenix, Arizona. Between 2015 and 2025, it grew by 6.2%. Changes in population reflect things like shifting birth and death rates, immigration patterns, and even the overall health of the economy. The recent 0.52% increase was primarily driven by immigration to the US.
Semiquincentennial snapshot: the US at 250 years
Insights about the nation's population, households, education, employment, and income.
How many subsidized housing units are available in the US?
In 2025, about 5.13 million subsidized housing units were available in the US. Federally subsidized rental housing began with 1937’s US Housing Act, which created the United States Housing Authority and provided financial assistance to state and local governments for housing low-income people. Since then, the government has provided housing assistance to low-income renters through programs overseen by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
How long do people wait for subsidized housing in the US?
People waited two years and one month, on average, for subsidized housing in 2025. That’s a 7.4% decrease since 2024, when recipients spent 2 years and 3 months on waiting lists before moving in to subsidized housing.
How many people live in subsidized housing in the US?
In 2025, about 8.86 million people lived in subsidized housing. This was equivalent to about 2.0 people per unit. Subsidized housing options vary by location, ranging from high-rise or garden-style apartments to single-family dwellings, duplexes, and more. On average, residents in 2025 have lived in their units for 10 years and 3 months.
Why don’t people vote?
Eighteen million registered voters didn't cast a ballot in 2024. What was their reason?
How many Americans are using AI — and how?
35% of American households are using AI to find information. 14% of people trust that information.
What is the US poverty rate?
The poverty rate was about 10.6% of the US population as of 2024. The poverty rate is the percentage of people whose household income falls below the poverty threshold set by the government. It measures the percentage of people in households that don’t earn enough to pay for basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare. In 2024, 35.9 million people lived in poverty.
How many households in the US spend too much on housing?
About 42.5 million households were cost-burdened in 2024. That's 33% of all households. These households spent at least 30% of their total income on rent or mortgage payments and utilities. The Department of Housing and Urban Development considers households that spend more than 30% of their income on housing to be cost-burdened. Cost-burdened households may have less money for other necessities such as food, healthcare, or savings.
How many same-sex married households are in the US?
In 2024, 835,900 US households were led by couples in a same-sex marriage — 1.3% of all households headed by a married couple.
Which US cities have the largest homeless populations?
In 2025, over a quarter of people experiencing homelessness in the US were concentrated in two major cities: New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA.
What is the main reason people immigrate to the US via authorized channels?
45.3% immigrated for work in 2022. That’s around 1.7 times higher than the number that came for education, the next most common reason. Other reasons for immigration included family, safety, and various other factors.
How many people immigrate to the US via authorized channels?
About 2.6 million new immigrant arrivals in 2022. This was a 67.2% increase from the 1.5 million new immigrant arrivals in 2021.
What states are people moving to and from overall?
In 2024, Florida, Texas, and California gained the most people from other states, while California, Florida, and Texas lost the most residents. Higher population states tend to lead both as states of origin or destination.
How are Americans doing financially?
In 2025, nearly a third of US adults reported being worse off than in 2024, with 91% stating that price increases were their main financial concern.