Parades, outdoor concerts, backyard barbecues and firework displays are the staple of July 4th celebrations. But on this 242nd anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, here’s a look back at how the nation has changed since its founding and other fun facts in Census Bureau statistics.

• In July 1776, there were an estimated 2.5 million people living in the newly independent nation. According to most recent estimates [PDF <1.0 MB], today there are 326 million.
• There were 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.
  • John Hancock, a merchant by trade, was the first signer. In 2016, 1.1 million business establishments with paid employees - like Hancock - were in the retail trade industry.
  • Benjamin Franklin, who represented Pennsylvania, was the oldest of the signers at age 70. Franklin County, Pa., had an estimated population of 154,234 as of July 1, 2017.
  • Edward Rutledge, of South Carolina, was the youngest at age 26. South Carolina had an estimated population [PDF <1.0 MB] of 5,024,369 as of July 1, 2017.
• There were $368.6 million worth of fireworks sold through establishments classified as NAICS 453998 and all other miscellaneous retailers (except tobacco stores) in 2012.