Population articles
What is infrastructure and what does the government have to do with it?
The federal government has a long history of investing in infrastructure — facilities, structures, and utilities intended for long-term use —at least as far back as 1806 when Congress authorized the construction of the first highway built entirely with federal money. In the decades since, federal, state, and local governments have spent trillions of dollars on the networks and facilities the country needs to function. Infrastructure includes transportation systems such as bridges, highways, and railways, as well as energy assets like power plants and electric grids. It can also include drinking water and wastewater systems, broadband access, and public buildings like schools. Funding for building and maintaining it comes from the government, the private sector, or a combination.How much does the US spend on infrastructure annually? In 2020, government at all levels, and the private sector spent a combined $865 billion on infrastructure, the highest sum since infrastructure spending tracking began in 1947. The federal government spent $15.9 billion, or 1.8% of all infrastructure spending. State and local governments spent $300.6 billion, 34.8% of the total. The remaining 63.4% of funding came from the private sector.
Why does daylight saving time exist?
The ritual of changing the clocks twice a year to get more daylight has been in place for more than 50 years. But debates in state legislatures and Congress show that there’s interest in stopping the process. When does daylight saving time start and end? In 2026, daylight saving time starts on Sunday, March 8, and will end on Sunday, November 1. It will begin again on Sunday, March 14, 2027, and run through Sunday, November 7, 2027.
How do voting laws differ by state?
For many of us, “voting” conjures an image of people going to a ballot box on Election Day, but the way voters submit ballots varies from state to state. Some have in-person voting, others have mail-in ballots. Some states allow early voting, and others have day-of voting only.While the Constitution and Congress establish certain election rules, most elections are run by counties, so state and local governments also create their own voting laws.What are the voter registration methods and timelines in each state?Most states provide at least two of three registration options: online registration, mail-in registration, and in-person registration. The requirements and timelines for each vary by state. One state, North Dakota, doesn’t require voter registration at all. Twenty-one states and Washington, DC, allow same-day in-person registration. Two of these states — Hawaii and Vermont — allow same-day online registration as well. Vermont is also the only state that accepts mail-in registrations received by or on Election Day. The other 28 states require would-be voters to register anywhere from one to 30+ days in advance.
How many people receive SNAP benefits in the US every month?
About 42.1 million people during fiscal year (FY) 2025. That’s 12.3% of the US population. Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is determined based on household income levels. SNAP, once known as the Food Stamp program, is administered by the Department of Agriculture providing food assistance to low-income individuals.
What is the US poverty rate?
About 10.6% of the 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 subsidized housing units are available in the United States?
There were about 5.1 million in 2023, of which around 13% were unoccupied and available to rent. 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 many people speak Spanish at home?
About 44.9 million people, or 1 out of every 7 people age 5 and up. Spanish is the most-common non-English language used in the US by far, with more than 12 times the number of speakers than the next most common language, Chinese (both Mandarin and Cantonese).
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.
Where are authorized immigrants to the US coming from?
In 2022, the largest number of immigrants came from Mexico. Immigrants from Mexico made up 20.8% of all people who immigrated to the US in 2022. Authorized immigrants are those who came to the US through channels such as a visa, green card, or as a refugee or asylee.
How many people immigrate to the US via authorized channels each year?
About 2.6 million in 2022. This is a 67.2% increase from the 1.5 million new immigrant arrivals in 2021.
What percent of jobs in the US are held by immigrants?
About 17.9% of jobs in 2023. Immigrants are defined as foreign-born residents, including those who became US citizens, are authorized to work in the US, or are undocumented residents.
How many people live in subsidized housing in the United States?
About 9.05 million people in 2023, or 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 2023 had lived in their units for ten years and two months.
How many asylum applications does the US receive?
Around 945K applications in 2023. The US asylum system helps resettle people who fear persecution if they return to their home country. Unlike refugees who apply for protection before arriving in the US or at its borders, asylum seekers apply after they are already in the US.
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.
How long do people wait for subsidized housing in the United States?
Two years and three months, on average, in 2024. That’s an 8% increase since 2023, when recipients spent two years and one month on waiting lists before moving in to subsidized housing.
How many households in the United States spend too much on housing?
About 42.5 million 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 much do households in the US spend on rent?
About 32.8% of their income in 2024. This is measured by comparing median, or average, rent and median monthly income for renting households. Median rent, including utilities, was about $1,487 per month. Median monthly income among renting households was about $4,537 per month.
How many refugees come to the US every month?
Around 12.5K people in December 2024. The US refugee system helps people fleeing persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a social group to resettle in the US. Unlike asylum seekers who apply for protection after arriving in the US or at its borders, refugees apply from outside the country. If approved, they undergo security screenings and health checks before being resettled by various agencies.
How many people are in prisons in the US?
About 1.25 million at the end of 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. This number is up 2% from 2022 and includes anyone under state or federal jurisdiction. Prisoners sentenced to one or more years — usually for a felony conviction — make up 96.5% of this group, and the remainder includes people who are serving shorter sentences or awaiting sentencing.
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 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 does the Social Security Administration (SSA) do?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is an independent executive branch agency responsible for administering Social Security, a program that provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to eligible people. Its functions include managing the distribution of monthly payments to beneficiaries, enrolling Medicare recipients, and overseeing the issuance of Social Security numbers and cards. It was established in 1935 as part of the Social Security Act.
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.
What does the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) do?
The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) is a subdivision of the Department of Housing and Urban Development responsible for enforcing federal laws that prohibit discrimination in housing. The agency ensures equal access to housing and promotes inclusive communities through the administration of fair housing laws, public education, and outreach. It also investigates complaints of housing discrimination and works to eliminate discriminatory practices. It was established in 1968.
Is flying safer than driving?
Is it safer to travel the US by plane than by car? Yes, according to Department of Transportation (DOT) data. Stats tracked for the last 20–years show that people were less likely to be hurt or killed each year while flying than riding in passenger cars and trucks. Flying is also safer than riding subways, trains, buses, or motorcycles. What is the safest way to travel? Air travel is the nation’s safest form of transit. Injury and death rates in US air travel are measured by the rate of incidents per 100 million passenger miles, the total miles traveled by all air passengers. Since 2002, the rates have been almost zero, and the yearly number of aviation accidents declined. In 2023, 33 plane passengers were injured over 773 billion miles of air travel. Put another way, you could circle the globe over 940,000 times for every one airplane injury.
Are fewer kids playing sports?
In 2023, the percentage of children participating in sports increased for the second consecutive year.According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), playing sports can improve a child’s physical and mental health. This includes improvements in bone health, cardiorespiratory and muscular health, and a reduced risk of depression. Sports can also help children develop confidence and self-esteem, as well as social and interpersonal skills.How many kids play sports?The National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) found that an estimated 55.4% of children aged 6 to 17 played on a sports team or took lessons as of 2023 — up from 53.8% in 2022.
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.
Is the US population growing or shrinking?
It grew by 3.3 million people between 2023 and 2024, a 0.98% increase. That’s more than the population of Chicago. Between 2014 and 2024, it grew by 6.5%. Changes in population reflect things like shifting birth and death rates, immigration patterns, and even the overall health of the economy. The recent 0.98% increase was primarily driven by immigration to the US.
How many executive orders has each president signed?
When a president takes office, they often sign executive orders soon after inauguration, sometimes on Inauguration Day itself. An executive order is a presidential action that directs federal agencies on how to operate. It carries the effect of law provided it aligns with constitutional powers. Executive orders can also amend or revoke prior orders. In addition to executive orders, other presidential actions can include memorandums, and proclamations. How many executive orders have recent presidents signed? Since 1969, the 10 most recent presidents who completed full terms signed an average of 269 executive orders. Two-term presidents averaged 328, while single-term presidents averaged 216. Jimmy Carter, a single-term president, signed the most executive orders per year, averaging 80. Barack Obama, who served two terms, signed the fewest per year: 35. President Trump has signed 227 executive orders so far in his second term: 225 in 2025, and two in January 2026.
How did COVID-19 affect people in the US?
Note: This page is no longer being updated. This data was aggregated from national and state sources. As of July 2023, data collection and updates by federal, state, and local agencies was less comprehensive than in previous years.
How many people have a disability in the US?
About 45.8 million, as of 2024. That’s the equivalent to 13.7% of the US population, or 1 in 7 people. In Census data, a person with a disability is someone who reports difficulty with walking or climbing stairs, hearing, vision, self-care, cognition, or independent living.
What are the top causes of death for people 65 and older?
The top two causes of death for senior citizens in 2023 were heart diseases and cancer at 935.7 and 778.7 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Cerebrovascular diseases (237.7 per 100,000 people), chronic lower respiratory diseases (212.0 per 100,000), and Alzheimer disease (190 per 100,000) followed as the next most common causes of death for seniors. COVID-19 was a top-five cause of death among adults 65 and older from 2020 to 2022, but was surpassed by Alzheimer’s disease in 2023.
Which states have the largest elderly populations?
As of 2024, 18% (61.2 million) of Americans are 65 or older, according to Census Bureau data.The national population over the age of 65 has more than doubled since 1980, with three-quarters of that growth occurring in the 21st century. The 65 and older group grew by more than 26.2 million people, a 74.6% increase, during that time.
How many immigrants get green cards every year?
About 1.17 million during fiscal year (FY) 2023, 15.2% more than the previous year. That’s the number of people who became lawful permanent residents (LPR) of the U.S., commonly known as green card holders. Green cards grant immigrants the right to live and work permanently in the US with a path toward citizenship. The total includes individuals who obtained green cards through family sponsorship, employment, refugee or asylum status, and other avenues.
How red or blue is your state?
In American political discourse, states are often labeled “red” for leaning towards Republican politics or “blue” for leaning Democratic. State political profiles are shaped by a host of factors — voting patterns in national elections, the party affiliations of governors and congresspeople, and state laws.Most states vote and act consistently along party lines, but some have less predictable political leanings. These states, which can “swing” to either major party in a presidential election, are sometimes called “swing states” or “purple” states.How have red and blue states voted in presidential elections?Voters in most states stick with presidential candidates from one party: In the 10 presidential elections held since 1988, 41 states stuck with candidates from the same party eight times or more. Twenty of them, along with Washington, DC, voted for the same party’s candidates in all 10 elections.
How does marriage vary by state?
Does love last? According to the Census Bureau (CENSUS), American marriages last a median of 20 years as of 2024. But that could vary depending on where you live or how old you are — residents in the northeast, where the population is older on average, tend to report longer marriages than folks in the rest of the country. The government doesn’t just track marriage data for the romanticism of evaluating love against national and state averages: federal agencies use marriage and divorce data to assess funding needs for programs with spousal benefits, measure the effectiveness of current family policies, and forecast future policy. How do marriage and divorce rates vary by state? The Census Bureau calculates marriage and divorce rates by looking at the number of people age 15 and up who married or divorced in the last year. Utah had the nation’s highest marriage rate in 2024: 24.5 new marriages for every 1,000 people. Second highest was Washington, DC, with 22.1, followed by Idaho with 21.2.
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%).
How many DACA recipients are there?
About 515,600 people at the end of June 2025 — about the same as the population of Killeen-Temple, TX Metro Area. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a program created in 2012 for people who came to the US as children and who do not have legal immigration status. People accepted into DACA and who maintain active status with the program are protected from deportation and are allowed to apply for work authorization, but do not receive legal immigration status or have a path to citizenship.
USAFacts’ top 10 articles of 2025
In 2025, Americans turned to USAFacts seeking information about the 2024 election, federal government employment and aid, immigration data, US debt ownership, government shutdowns, and crime statistics.Here are the 10 most-read articles of the year:10. How many voters have a party affiliation?Americans remained interested in the number of voters with a declared political affiliation long after the presidential election. Records from the 32 states and Washington, DC, that require party affiliation when registering to vote offer insight into voter alignment.As of August 2025, 45% of all registered voters had declared a party affiliation — 37.4 million registered as Republicans and 44.1 million as Democrats. Wyoming had the highest percentage of registered Republicans at 77%, while Washington, DC, had the highest percent of registered Democrats at 76%. Among all states, Maryland had the highest percentage of registered Democrats at 52%.
Who funds the FAA? You, whenever you fly
The majority of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) budget comes from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF), established by the Treasury Department in 1970 to support American aviation infrastructure. It collects revenue by taxing domestic flight tickets, international arrivals and departures, air cargo, plane fuel, and travelers’ purchases in loyalty and frequent flier programs.Passenger taxes are applied at the time of ticket purchase. Domestic passenger tickets were taxed at 7.5% in 2025. Flights between the continental US and Hawaii or Alaska added another $11.40 per passenger. These taxes contribute to the FAA’s budget.