What does the Census Bureau do?

Updates published annually

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.

In FY 2024,

$1.49B

was spent by the Census Bureau

In FY 2024,

10.1%

of Dept. of Commerce spending was by the Census Bureau

How much does the Census Bureau spend?

The Census Bureau spent a net total of $1.49 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 10.1% of the $14.8 billion spent by the Department of Commerce, which itself was 0.2% of all federal spending. The CENSUS ranked third among DOC subdivisions in net spending.

Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Census Bureau ranked third among Department of Commerce divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOC net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Census Bureau’s federal spending has increased from $487.9 million in 1984 to $1.49 billion in 2024.

The Census Bureau’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1984.

Yearly federal net spending by CENSUS, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1984–2024

Since 1984, the Census Bureau's spending has increased 206%, while overall spending has increased 161%.

As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. CENSUS spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1984, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, CENSUS accounted for 0.022% of overall federal spending.

Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Census Bureau’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1984.

Net spending by CENSUS as a share of federal spending, FYs 1984–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.

In FY 2024, all of the Census Bureau's spending was direct.

The chart below outlines all net CENSUS spending.

How did the Census Bureau spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to CENSUS, FY 2024

How many people work for the Census Bureau?

Some 13,232 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Census Bureau as of September 2024. This is 31% fewer people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Census Bureau has decreased 31% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for CENSUS, September 2010–2024

The Census Bureau accounts for 0.6% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in 2024 compared to 2010 (0.9%).

While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Census Bureau’s share of the workforce (0.6%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.022%).

Who leads the Census Bureau?

The Census Bureau is led by a director. This individual is nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The director reports to the Secretary of Commerce. The director serves a term of five years.

Keep exploring

Enter some text...

Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

Office of Personnel Management
FedScope
Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury
Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement