Since declaring independence on July 4, 1776, the U.S. population has continued to grow. The 2020 Census recorded 331 million people living in the United States—an 8,336 percent increase from just 3.9 million counted in the first census in 1790. As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, Americans continue to celebrate this milestone of freedom with festivities like fireworks, parades, concerts, and more.