Population articles
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.
AAPI Demographics: Data on Asian American ethnicities, geography, income, and education
There are 25.8 million Asian Americans living in the US, making up 7.7% of the population. Among them, 3.6 million identify as Asian in combination with another race.Asian Americans are sometimes grouped with Pacific Islanders under the “AAPI” umbrella, and the joint Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month is celebrated annually in May. The AAPI population is the fastest growing racial group in the US, with a population that nearly doubled from 2000 to 2023.The demographics of Asian Americans vary drastically across ethnic groups. Taiwanese and Indian Americans have the highest educational and income outcomes, while Southeast Asian Americans have lower incomes and educational attainment.
What are the demographics of Hispanic voters?
Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority group in the US, and greater attention has been placed on the Hispanic vote over the past few election cycles. In 2020, around 13% of citizens over 18 were Hispanic, and Hispanic voters cast around 11% of ballots, according to Census data.Hispanic voters are younger on average, turn out at lower rates, and are most concentrated among states near the American Southwest.Where are most Hispanic voters located?Hispanic Americans hold the highest shares of the voting-age citizen population in states along the US-Mexico border. New Mexico had the highest, with 36% of this demographic identifying as Hispanic, followed by California, Texas, and Arizona. In 2020, these four states, in addition to Nevada and Florida, had at least 20% of eligible voters identify as Hispanic.These states also had the greatest Hispanic vote share in 2020. In four states (New Mexico, California, Texas, and Arizona), more than 20% of votes cast in 2020 were by Hispanic citizens. Maine had the least, with less than 1% of votes cast by Hispanic voters.
How many people live in the US?
In 2025, there were about 341.8 million living in the US. That makes the US the third-most populous country in the world, home to 4.2% or roughly 1 in every 24 people on the planet. The population count guides political representation and resource allocation.
How many people are in the US military?
As of December 2025, the US military consisted of 2.81 million people worldwide, including 2.10 million military personnel and 715,212 civilians. With the most recent numbers, the military is slightly greater than the population of Chicago, the country's third-largest city. These forces are spread across six main service branches: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force – all tasked to protect and serve the US. Of those military members, the Department of Defense (DOD) listed nearly 1.33 million people as active-duty troops, and 770,118 as National Guard or reserves.
What is the income of a US household?
About $81,600 in median income in 2024. Household income is the total money received in a year — wages, pensions, investments, public assistance, and more — by everyone in a household over 15.
How many people die by suicide in the United States each year?
About 49,316 people in 2023. In other words, there were about 14 suicides for every 100,000 people in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says several factors cause suicide and they exist at individual, community, and societal levels.
What does the Census Bureau (CENSUS) do?
The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is a subdivision of the US Department of Commerce responsible for collecting and analyzing data about the population and economy of the United States. The agency conducts the decennial census, which provides data for government representation, allocation of federal funds, and policy making. It also conducts numerous other surveys on topics such as housing, business, and demographics. It was established in 1902.
Population pyramids of every state
There’s more to measuring a state’s population than its big total.The age, sex, race, ethnicity, and other characteristics of each resident provides context about who lives in the state. Knowing the demographics of a place informs governments not only about the current residents within certain borders but can help prepare for the challenges they might face in the future.We’ve made population pyramids for the nation, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia. These pyramids use Census data from 2010 to 2017 and can be filtered by various races and ethnicities.What is a "population pyramid"?A population pyramid is a data visualization tool showing the age makeup of a certain area. Demographers, or social scientists that study population trends over time, use population pyramids extensively because it’s a quick way to gather lots of insights about how a population is aging over time. Usually, the “pyramid” places older populations at the top, youngest at the bottom and splits the left and right sides by sex. There’s no strict requirement for how groups of the population are arranged by age.See how the shape of the population differs in each state. Scroll below for our analysis or if you need more insight on how to interpret population pyramids.
How many people are on Medicaid in the US?
On average, 88.8 million or 26.2% of the US population during FY 2024. Enrolling about 1 in 4 people in the US, Medicaid is one of the largest single health insurers in the country. Medicaid is a government-funded health insurance program that provides free or low-cost coverage to eligible low-income individuals and families, including children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities.
What is the homeownership rate in the US?
About 65.6% in 2024. That means about 2 in 3 households owned their home while the remainder rented.
US obesity rates have tripled over the last 60 years
According to National Institutes of Health surveys conducted since the early 1960s, US obesity rates have tripled over the last 60 years. The number of people classified with severe obesity has risen tenfold. How is obesity measured?A person’s weight class can range from underweight to obese and is calculated with a screening tool called the Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing someone’s weight (in kilograms) by their height (in meters) and a common stand-in for body fat measurement in children and adults, although it doesn’t distinguish between fat, muscle, and bone mass. Severe obesity is a sub-class within the obesity category. How have obesity rates changed over time?In the early 1960s, roughly 13% of people were considered obese under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Recent figures suggest that the current national obesity rate is closer to 40%. Almost 10% of Americans were categorized as severely obese during the 2021–2023 survey, compared to fewer than 1% in 1960–1962. Childhood obesity rates also rose, tripling from 5% in the early 1970s to over 21% by 2021–2023.
How many children experience abuse or neglect in the US?
In 2023, 4.4 million children were involved in maltreatment referrals, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).Out of those referrals, 546,159 children were found to be victims of abuse or neglect. More than 75% of the perpetrators of the abuse are parents of the victims.More than two-thirds of the cases in 2023 were reported by professionals that have contact with the victims through their job, such as teachers, lawyers, police, and social services personnel. The highest percentage of reports in 2023 came from legal and law enforcement personnel (21.4%).
Native Americans and the US Census: How the count has changed
Between 2000 and 2018, the number of American residents who were at least partially Native American increased 39%, according to the US Census Bureau.The estimated 5.7 million Americans in 2018 – 1.6 million more than 2000 – identifying with “American Indian or Alaska Native” racial backgrounds represent less than 2% of the total national population. That share was double the Native American group’s share in 2000.It’s unclear if that increase is entirely due to population growth or because more people are identifying as Native American racially. The Census Bureau has historically counted the Native American population in varying ways. The agency is making counting Native Americans a priority for the 2020 Census, after an estimated 4.88% of Native Americans living on reservations went undercounted. (Nationally, there was a total overcount of 0.01%.)In addition to the official decennial census conducted at the beginning of each decade, the Census Bureau also conducts the American Community Survey each year to learn more about the American population. Here’s a look at the Census’s history with Native Americans and what the agency’s most recent surveys say about that demographic group today.Who makes up the Native American population?In 2018, there were an estimated 2.8 million people identifying racially as Native American alone and 2.9 million more identifying as multiple races, including Native American.
How many kids are in foster care?
An estimated 527,180 children passed through the foster care system in 2023. This number represents the number of children who were already in the system at the beginning of the federal fiscal year, and the children who entered or exited foster care as of September 30, 2022. On the last day of the fiscal year, 343,077 children remained in foster care.Foster care is intended to provide a temporary stable home for children who cannot safely remain in their current situations due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The federal foster care program, known as title IV-E, funds services that are managed locally — in 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and tribes with approved title IV-E plans.How has the number of children in foster care changed?Over the last two decades, the number of children in foster care has declined each year, with the exception of a five-year span between 2013–2018.
Does access to healthcare differ by race and ethnicity?
Across several measures of health and access to healthcare, American Indian and Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic adults often fare worse than other racial or ethnic identities. In 2024, about 14.8% of Americans were in fair or poor health. Zooming in on demographics reveals disparities between racial and ethnic groups. Adults in four groups — American Indian and Alaska Native, Black, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and Hispanic — report higher rates of fair or poor health than the national average.
What is the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program?
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, provides federal grants to states to support low-income women who are pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding, as well as infants and children under age 5 who are at nutritional risk. These grants fund state and local WIC agencies to provide participants with food benefits through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, along with nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health and social services. WIC is a federal program run by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). It was created in 1972 as a pilot program to provide supplemental foods and nutrition education to low-income women, infants, and young children, and it was made permanent in 1975 in the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. How many people get WIC benefits?In FY 2024, 6.7 million women, infants, and children received WIC benefits. For comparison, 41.7 million people received SNAP benefits in FY 2024, more than six times as many as received WIC. WIC participation has changed over time: It grew steadily from 1975 by around 245,000 participants per year until its peak in 2010 at 9.2 million participants. After 2010, participation declined each year until 2021, but WIC participation increased again in 2022. The USDA attributes the drop in participation to declining unemployment and poverty rates, and falling birth rates. The agency also cites barriers such as eligibility confusion, transportation challenges, and stigma associated with participating in the program for the decline.
Which jobs have the highest representation of Asian Americans?
Asian Americans’ contributions to the US workforce are as varied and diverse as the demographic group itself.Asian Americans make up a disproportionate share of high-paying occupations in computer science, math, engineering, health, and business. But they are also highly represented in lower-paying personal care and service work.The Asian Americans demographic is a complex group with people from a range of distinct nationalities and backgrounds. As a result, the occupations of Burmese or Vietnamese Americans, for example, tend to differ drastically from those of Chinese or Indian Americans.Asian Americans are highly represented in several high-paying occupations — but also lower-paying personal care services roles.Asians make up 6.6% of the US workforce. In computer and math occupations, though, they make up 23.3%, or a 16.7 percentage point overrepresentation, the highest of any field. This field includes software developers and computer systems analysts.Asian Americans are also more represented in relatively high-paying architecture, engineering, and life and social science occupations. They’re 36.4% of computer hardware engineers and 43.1% of medical scientists, where median weekly earnings are $2,277 and $1,544. respectively.At the same time, Asian Americans are a disproportionate share of personal care and services workers, including hairdressers, childcare workers, and nail stylists. Asian Americans make up 10.1% of employees in those roles and are 73.1% of manicurists and pedicurists specifically. The median weekly earnings for manicurists and pedicurists in 2022 was $677, 36% below the national average of $1,059.The demographic is least represented in the construction and extraction field, comprising 1.7% of the workforce. This is an underrepresentation of 4.9 percentage points.
How are Americans doing financially?
More than a quarter of US adults say they’re struggling financially: 73% of Americans reported “living comfortably” or “doing okay,” according to October 2024 survey data from the Federal Reserve. Another 27% said they were either “just getting by” (19%) or “finding it difficult to get by” (8%). The share of people who say they’re doing okay or better is two percentage points lower than pre-pandemic levels, and the lowest since 2016.
W.E.B. Du Bois' hand-drawn charts from 1900 show the story of Black Americans through data
W.E.B. Du Bois was a pioneer in several ways, including being the first Black person to earn a doctorate from Harvard and founding what continues to be a prominent civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAACP.He was also a pioneer in the field of data visualization.For the 1900 Paris Exposition (sometimes also called a world’s fair), Du Bois was the lead organizer of The Exhibit of American Negroes, which examined the status of Black Americans less than four decades after the end of slavery. In addition to displaying photographs related to Black lives, the exhibit also featured two series of data visualizations researched and designed by Du Bois and his students at Atlanta University, which is now Clark Atlanta University. Government sources, including the US Census and the then-Bureau of Labor, figured prominently in the dozens of hand-drawn charts that are now housed at the Library of Congress.The first series, “The Georgia Negro,” focused on the state with the highest population of Black people at the time. “This case is devoted to a series of charts, maps and other devices designed to illustrate the development of the American Negro in a single typical state in the United States,” Du Bois wrote in an accompaniment to the opening visualization of the exhibit: a map illustrating the African slave trade.
Is Congress representative of the American people?
The United States Congress consists of up to 541 individuals elected to represent a population of 335.9 million.The 118th Congress in US history convened on January 3, 2023. Here’s a look at how the demographics of this legislative body compare to those of the people it represents.What is the average age of Congress members?At the start of the 118th Congress, the average senator was 64.0 years old, and the average representative was 57.9. These averages are lower than those of the previous Congress: senators are younger by about four months and representatives by about five. This decrease is due to a relatively young class of new members — the newly elected class of both senators (50.4 years old) and representatives (47.8) were younger at the start of this session than any of the three incoming classes before them.
596,000 people moved to Texas from other US states in 2020. Which states did they come from?
From 2020 to 2021, Texas had the largest population growth of any state. Much of that increase came from people moving to Texas from other states. Around 596,000 Americans from other states moved to Texas during 2020. With 421,000 Texans also leaving the state, Texas gained a net 177,000 residents through domestic migration.Which states had the most residents move to Texas?In 2020, around 105,000 Californians moved to Texas, more than double the next-highest state. Florida had the second-highest number of residents move to Texas (37,000) and Louisiana was third (31,000).
The US child population shrank by 1 million between 2010 and 2020
Between the last two censuses, the adult population in the US grew 10%, from 234.6 million to 258.3 million. During that same period, the under 18 population dropped 1% from 74.2 million to 73.1 million. The decrease occurred as US birth rates hit a record low. At the same time, diversity among the youngest Americans increased in the last decade.While there are fewer children overall, additional census data shows how America’s children have changed both demographically and geographically since 2010.While the number of children fell 1% during the decade, the change was not uniform across demographic groups.The number of non-Hispanic white children dropped 13%, from 39.7 million in 2010 to 34.6 million in 2020. The demographic remains the largest in the age group, though the 2020 census marked the first time non-Hispanic white children were less than 50% of the 18 and under population.
What is the state of RSV in the United States?
Weekly hospitalization rates for respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, rose from 0.2 per 100,000 people during the week of September 2, 2023, to 1.3 during the week of October 28, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s RSV Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RSV-NET).
How many Black male teachers are there in the US?
While the racial and ethnic diversity of America’s teachers increased in recent decades, Black men remain among the most underrepresented demographics in teaching compared to their percentage of the general population — and the student population.How many Black male teachers are there?In the 2020–2021 school year, Black, non-Hispanic men accounted for 1.3% of the nation’s 3.8 million public school teachers, according to the National Center for Education Statistics’s National Teacher and Principal Survey. Overall, Black, non-Hispanic men are 6.1% of the general US population.Black women, meanwhile, made up 4.8% of all public school teachers and 6.5% of the general population. Together, Black men and women comprise 6.1% of all public school teachers and 12.6% of the US population.How has the number of Black male teachers changed in recent years?The proportion of public school teachers who are Black men has been declining, from 6.5% in the 2017-2018 school year to 1.3% in 2020-2021. Overall, the percentage of Black, non-Hispanic teachers declined from 7% to 6% from 2011 to 2021.What are the race and gender demographics of the teaching profession?The majority of US public school teachers are white women. In the 2020–2021 school year, women accounted for 76.8% of all public school teachers.Ignoring sex, an even larger share of teachers are white. In 2020–2021, 79.9% of public school teachers were white, 9.4% were Hispanic, 6.1% were Black, 2.4% were Asian, and 1.6% were multiracial. Less than one-half of 1% were American Indian/Alaska Natives or Pacific Islanders.Where do Black male teachers work?Cities and southern states have the biggest proportion of Black male teachers. About two-thirds of all Black teachers (including Hispanic) in the US teach in the South, according to NCES.In the 2017–2018 school year, about 5% of Louisiana's teachers were non-Hispanic Black men — the largest share among all states with data reported in that year’s survey. Next was Virginia and Georgia, where 4% of teachers were Black men.
How have US fertility and birth rates changed over time?
Women nationwide are giving birth to fewer children than they did 100 years ago, 10 years ago, and even a year ago. Those who do are increasingly having children later in life. Measuring a nation’s fertility and birth rates helps explain how demographics may shift over time.How are fertility rates calculated?The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines the general fertility rate as the number of live births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.How has the fertility rate changed over time?The nation’s fertility rate has declined since 1957, when there were 122.9 births per 1,000 women ages 15–44. Data for 2023 puts the current fertility rate at less than half the 1957 rate, 54.5.
How common are multigenerational households?
In 2022, there were an estimated 4.8 million multigenerational households in the US — homes with three or more generations living under one roof — equal to 3.7% of all households in the country. Those households contain 26 million people, or 8.1% of the US population.Are multigenerational households becoming more common?Multigenerational households have consistently hovered at around 3.8% of all households in the US. 2022’s rate of 3.7% was the lowest since 2010.
Who owns American wealth?
In 2023, 97.5% of all net worth —totaling $139.4 trillion — was owned by the 50% of Americans with above-average net worth. The remaining 167 million Americans owned about 2.6% — or $3.6 trillion.
725,000 people left California in 2020. Which states did they move to?
Texas had the most California transplants from 2020 to 2021: 105,000. Arizona (with 63,000 California transplants) and Nevada (55,000) were next highest.
Is the US becoming more diverse?
The US population is becoming more diverse. The nation’s non-white population has almost doubled over the past four decades, growing from about 24% of the population in 1990 to over 40% in 2023.What is the racial breakdown of the US?In 2023, 58% of the population identified as non-Hispanic white, 20% as Hispanic, 13% as Black, 6% as Asian or Pacific Islander, and 3% as other.Of the 335 million people in the US, 195 million identified as non-Hispanic white in 2023, or 12 out of every 20 people. This is down since 1990, when about 15 out of every 20 people identified as white.
What kinds of jobs do young people have?
More and more people from the ages of 16 to 24 are working, jumping into roles in fast food prep, waiting tables, and retail.Youth employment dropped from 2002 to 2012, but rose after that. People from Gen Z ages 16 to 19 began participating in the workforce at higher rates than teens in years prior, causing the youth employment rate to rise from 2012 to 2022.What kinds of jobs are common for young people?In July 2023, 54.8% of employed young people ages 16 to 24 worked in hospitality, retail, or education and health services industries.About a quarter of people in this age range had jobs in leisure and hospitality, the highest percentage of young people of any industry. This includes jobs like amusement park attendants, musicians and singers, fitness trainers, food preparation and servers, cooks in sit-down and fast-food restaurants, hotel and resort clerks, and waiters/waitresses.Another 17.6% of teens and young adults worked in in jobs including cashiers, customer service representatives, retail supervisors and managers, retail salespeople, and store clerks and order fillers.Education and health services employed 12.5% of young people, the third most of all industries. Jobs in education includes K-12 teachers, teacher’s assistants, and others. Jobs in health services include: home health aides, licensed practical and vocational nurses, and medical and health services managers.
How many Americans voted in 2024?
According to the Census Bureau, 65.3% of US citizens voted in the 2024 election, the third-highest turnout in the past 34 years. Turnout increased by 13.1 percentage points since the most recent mid-term elections in 2022, but decreased by 1.5 percentage points since the 2020 presidential election.
What will America’s population look like by 2100?
By 2100, the United States will be home to 366 million people, according to Census Bureau projections. That’s 32 million more people than in 2022, but it also indicates a slight decline from a projected peak down the road.The Census Bureau projects America’s population to grow older and more diverse by the end of the 21st century, with immigration and fertility rates driving most changes through 2100.The Census also projects immigration will be the largest driver of population growth through the rest of the century. Without any new immigration, the Bureau estimates the nation’s population would begin declining in 2024, resulting in approximately 107 million fewer people in 2100 than in 2022. Conversely, it also projects a high-immigration scenario in which the US could have an estimated 102 million additional people by then.How much is the US population predicted to grow by 2100?The Census projects the population will grow by 9.7%, or 33 million people, between 2022 and 2100. That’s roughly equivalent to the current population of Texas. According to these projections, the US population will peak at 369 million people in 2080 before declining through the rest of the century.What are the predicted birth and death rates for the US?US birth rates are predicted to decline throughout the remainder of the 21st century, from 10.8 births per 1,000 people in 2023 to 8.5 per 1,000 in 2100. Meanwhile, the death rate will increase from 8.5 per 1,000 people in 2023 to 11.9 per 1,000 in 2100.Fertility rates have generally declined in the US since the late 1950s, and the share of the population over 65 has increased. The Census expects these trends to continue, resulting in a death rate that exceeds the birth rate by 2038. By 2100, the Census Bureau estimates there will be 1.2 million more deaths in the US than births.
How do men and women use time differently?
People’s priorities and obligations are driven by factors like age, family situation, employment, and other demographics. Gender is another key factor: 2023 government data shows that the average man tends to spend more time on paid work, while women spend more time on unpaid labor like housework and caregiving than men do. What activities do men and women spend time on? In 2023, employed men ages 15 and over spent 7.47 hours each weekday on paid work and work-related activities, while women spent about an hour less — 6.52 hours a day. Combining paid work with typically unpaid labor like cooking, cleaning, and caring for family members gives us a more comprehensive measure of total labor performed and brings men and women closer in terms of hours or labor: 8.78 hours for men, and 8.86 for women. While employed men and women perform around the same amount of all types of work, men spent more time on paid labor.
Data on Pacific Islander ethnicities, education, and income
There are 1.6 million Americans who identify as Pacific Islander, making up 0.49% of the population in 2023. From 2013 to 2023, the Pacific Islander population grew by 32.7%, or 400,000 people. Asian Americans are sometimes grouped with Pacific Islanders under the “AAPI” umbrella and are jointly celebrated every May during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This population is diverse, with education and income varying widely between ethnic groups. What are the different ethnic groups among Pacific Islanders?There are three Pacific Islands regions: Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. Ethnicities are based on the island that a person’s family and ancestors originated from.
Which states have the highest and lowest life expectancy?
From 2022 to 2023, life expectancy across the United States rose from 77.5 to 78.4 years, according to final death data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).But what exactly does life expectancy mean? And how does it vary by state?How does the government define life expectancy?Life expectancy — also called life expectancy at birth — is a projection of what the average age of death will be for people born today. The estimate is based on age-specific death rates reported in the year of birth.Note that life expectancy is not the same as the average age of death and the death rate. The average age of death in the US is calculated using the ages of every person who died in a given year. Meanwhile, the death rate is based on the proportion of people who died in a specific year.
How much does it cost to raise a child?
The average cost of raising a child in the US from birth through age 17 increased by 16% since 1960. In 1960 (when this data was first collected), middle-income, married couples spent an average total of $259,711 on a child through age 17, adjusted for inflation to 2023 dollars. By 2015 — the latest data available on child-rearing costs — these estimated expenditures had increased to $300,322.How much does having a child cost?The cost of childbirth has steadily increased over the last two decades. In 2020 — the most recent data available — hospitals charged patients an average of $27,938 for pregnancy and childbirth procedures, adjusted for inflation. That is nearly two and a half times the average charges in 2000 ($11,218), according to data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.While this is what a hospital charges for the stay, how much families pay depends on their insurance, among other factors.
US Census: What's new in 2020?
Once every ten years, the US Census Bureau does a complete population count, surveying every resident in the US. This count is mandated by the Constitution and requires reaching millions of households. USAFacts is giving you the history of the decennial census and everything you need to know to participate in 2020.Who participates in Census Bureau surveys?Everyone who has established a residence in the US is counted, including individuals with work visas, international students, and unauthorized immigrants, but excluding temporary visitors such as tourists.When should I be expecting to receive my survey notification?You don’t need to sign-up; the Census Bureau is hard at work making sure they get to you. You will receive a letter in the mail between March 12th - 20th.Those who do not respond online or by mail to the initial requests are visited in person by a team of Census surveyors.How is 2020 different than past counts?The 2020 Census will be the first time you can take the survey online. In fact, the bureau’s goal is to have 55% of responses submitted digitally, whether on a desktop computer or mobile phone. Most households will be contacted by mail with a unique code to fill out the survey online. However, in neighborhoods with low internet access or usage, the paper form will be included.The more people who take the survey online, the more money the Bureau saves having to track down non-respondents. The proposed budget for the 2020 survey is $15.6 billion, which works out to roughly $111 per household surveyed, depending on population growth.Why do I keep hearing about the need for a complete count?Data from the decennial Census is used for a variety of purposes. It determines legislative districts and representation and sets eligibility for government programs like housing assistance. The data is also used to allocate nearly $700 billion, or 13% of all government spending, to government grants and programs. When fewer people respond than actually live in a given area, the data may under-allocate elected representatives or reduce the amount of funding given to that community.Why have I been hearing about adding a question on citizenship?After a legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court, the decennial census will not be asking about citizenship. Other sample-based Census surveys, such as the yearly American Community Survey, already collect data on citizenship.Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversees the Census Bureau, proposed adding a question regarding citizenship. The question would be “Is this person a citizen of the United States?” However, the Census Bureau was hesitant to add this question for fear it would deter respondents from completing the decennial Census, as has been found during tests of the 2020 census.Under-response affects the accuracy of the population data that determines Congressional seats and Electoral College votes. Several federal judges found this question violates administrative law.Why do we have a national census?Census-taking is intertwined with the birth of democracy in America. The first complete national census took place immediately following the US declaration of independence from Britain. The country’s founders needed to determine the number of seats per state in the House of Representatives as well as to determine how much states would pay in taxes to fund the new union. The Constitution calls for a complete Census once every 10 years.Today, the data collected through the Census helps determine legislative representation, conduct research, craft public policy, and allocate government funds.When was the US Census Bureau created?The first complete national census occurred in 1790 and took 18 months to complete. Compared to the modern-day census, the first survey collected only a few basic data points, like the name of the head of the household and the number of people in the household. Over time, the Census Bureau added new questions about demographics, occupations, and community activities to inform the research and planning that goes into running the country.In addition, new surveys were added to supplement the questions asked every 10 years. These surveys do not survey the whole population; they rely on sample populations to estimate national totals. The US Census Bureau now publishes monthly, quarterly, and annual statistics, in addition to the information collected from the complete Census. Some surveys you may have heard of before include the American Community Survey, Current Population Survey, American Housing Survey, and the Annual Business Survey.The Census Bureau is continually working on new surveys and supplements to meet the research needs of the government.Learn more from USAFacts and get the data directly in your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
US suicide rate trends and states with the highest suicide rates
In 2021, 12.3 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.5 million planned a suicide attempt, and 1.7 million attempted suicide. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10–14 and 20–34 in 2021.The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines “suicidal ideation” as “thinking about, considering or planning suicide.”The suicide rate in the United States has steadily increased over the past 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Suicide was responsible for 48,183 deaths in 2021 — this represents a 36% increase in the national suicide rate since 2000. According to preliminary data, the national suicide rate increased an additional 2% between 2021 and 2022.Which ages have suicide as a top cause of death?Suicide was among the top nine leading causes of death for people ages 10–64 in 2021.
Who experiences anxiety and depression in the US?
Nearly 23% of American adults faced mental illness issues in 2021, according to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Young adults, adults aged 18–25, women, and unemployed and part-time workers reported higher rates of mental illness over the past year in 2021 compared to other groups in SAMHSA’s survey. SAMHSA runs an annual survey that collects mental health information and predicts the prevalence of mental health conditions using a statistical model. The survey includes phobias, psychotic symptoms, anorexia, and bulimia, as well as obsessive-compulsive, post-traumatic stress, adjustment, bipolar, and panic disorders.How does current American mental health compare to pre-COVID-19?SAMHSA estimates of Americans with mental illness were trending upward before the pandemic, from 18% in 2008 to 21% in 2019. Young people had the largest percentage point increase during that period, with the rate among adults ages 18–25 rising from 19% to 29%.During the pandemic in 2021, the rate of young people (18–25) with mental illness rose to 33.7%. However, SAMHSA notes that 2021’s survey results aren’t comparable to previous years due to changes in data collection methodology.Percentage of adults with mental illnessAfter SAMHSA implemented new data collection methods in 2021, it reported that 23% of adults dealt with mental illness. Over one-third of adults below the age of 25 had a mental illness in 2021.