Freedom 250: Measuring America’s Journey
On July 4, 2026, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In recognition of this milestone, the U.S. Census Bureau will highlight the importance of the decennial census as well as the role of demographic and economic data in telling the story of our nation's people and places.
Explore the history of the United States through data collected by the Census Bureau as part of the nationwide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.
The Twelfth Census of the United States, conducted on June 1, 1900, was a landmark enumeration that reflected the nation’s rapid growth and industrial expansion. It was the last census before the Census Bureau became a permanent federal agency.
"It is believed that the Twelfth Census will emphasize our remarkable advance in all that pertains to national progress."
— President William McKinley
Counting on Our Future While Celebrating Our Past
This collage features artwork created on Bring Your Child To Work Day.
Videos Through the Years
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America Counts StoryEight of the Nation’s Top 15 Last Names Stayed the Same Since 1790Newly released names data from the 2020 Census show which first and last names are the most popular across the nation.
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America Counts StoryThe Fourth of July: The Nation’s Population Then and NowThe U.S. population is nearly 123 times larger than it was in 1780, the nearest estimate to when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
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America Counts StoryHow Native North American Language Use Changed in the United StatesAn updated table package reveals how over 500 languages spoken at home changed from 2013 to 2021.
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America Counts StoryWhat Languages Do We Speak in the United States?The number of people who spoke a language other than English at home nearly tripled from 1980 to 2019, but the number who spoke only English also increased.
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America Counts Story1950 Census Records: A Window to HistoryRecords for all people counted in the 1950 Census will be released by the National Archives and Records Administration April 1.
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America Counts StoryPresidential Birth States and Places With Names of PresidentsTo commemorate upcoming Presidents' Day, we look across America to map presidential beginnings and the many places that honor them.
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America Counts StoryWho Conducted the First Census in 1790?Sixteen U.S. marshals, one territorial governor and their deputies counted 3.929,214 people in the nascent United States.
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America Counts StoryThrough the Decades, How the Census Bureau Protects Your PrivacyToday’s strict legal protections stem from a long history of changing attitudes and understanding about privacy and trust.
Infographics
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InfographicThen and NowView the top 15 last names in 1790 and 2020.
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InfographicCelebrating July 4thThis graphic shows selected patriotic-sounding places with populations over 2,500 as of July 1, 2023.
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InfographicPatriotic PlacesThis graphic shows patriotic places with populations over 2,500 as of July 1, 2021.
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VisualizationHappy 245th Birthday, America!State population of the original 13 colonies.
A Timeline of Census History
Note: This infographic is cropped. Click on the image for the full page.
