In 1930, the first census of the contracting group of the construction industry was inaugurated as part of the decennial census. This emphasized the importance of public works construction as the “balance wheel” of American industry for securing and maintaining general prosperity throughout the nation.
All persons and establishments engaged in construction business of any kind, including repairs and remodeling as well as new work, provided their gross business for the year amounted to at least $25,000, were required to furnish reports.
The term contractor has been used throughout this census to designate any person or establishment responsible for handling any kind of construction business for others, whether under contract or not.
Census statistics date back to 1790 and reflect the growth and change of the United States. Past census reports contain some terms that today’s readers may consider obsolete and inappropriate. As part of our goal to be open and transparent with the public, we are improving access to all Census Bureau original publications and statistics, which serve as a guide to the nation's history.