Even those that do not consider themselves to be “math people” can get excited by statistics and data. They check the standings to see where their favorite sports team falls in the hierarchy of those eligible for the playoffs or scour the box scores to see how many points their fantasy team players garnered for them. When it comes to facts and figures, though, the United States Census Bureau reigns supreme. The Bureau’s raison d’etre is to gather information and synthesize that information into data points that provide a glimpse of who we, as Americans, are.
Despite its early temporary iteration in the 1790s, authorized under various Census Acts and Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, the current Census Bureau as a permanent office did not take shape until 1902 with An Act to Provide for a Permanent Census Office. The Census Office originally operated within and under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior, but oversight was transferred to the Department of Commerce and Labor in 1903. The Bureau continues today under the Department of Commerce.
The stated mission of the Bureau is “to serve as the nation’s leading provider of quality data about its people and economy.” To accomplish its mission, the Bureau conducts not only a decennial census but also other surveys, such as the American Community Survey, the Census of Governments, and the Economic Census. The data gathered from these surveys are important tools in determining how to distribute Congressional seats; planning where community services are needed; providing necessary funding to local, state, and tribal governments; and providing Age Search information for genealogical purposes.
Census.gov, the Bureau’s website, is the hub for all sorts of facts and figures compiled by the Bureau as the result of all of its surveys and censuses. Visitors to the site have access to data, news, and updates about various demographic-related topics, such as age and sex, education, families and living arrangements, income and poverty, and race. There is an interesting feature, America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers, that more fully discusses and explains some of the data collected. A recent article talked about the declining marriage and divorce rate in the United States and how the numbers in individual states compared to the national figure. New to the website is a COVID-19 Interactive Data Hub and Other Resources where users can find community resilience estimates, business formation statistics, demographic and economic analyses, and COVID-19 impact planning reports for each individual state and its counties. On the landing page, there is also a USA and World Population Clock that keeps track of population changes based on short-term projections. Under the About Us tab, there is a link to History. There, users can find information about the history of the agency as well as information about its programs. Of particular interest is the Through the Decades tab where users are treated to pop culture and fast facts for each decade in which the census was taken as well as an index of questions asked in that census period.
Amid the pandemic, it’s easy to forget that 2020 was a census year. If you are interested in checking out data and statistics about our nation, visit Census.gov. Through its data-collection efforts, the Bureau helps to put a face on those statistics and shows that our country is so much more than just numbers.
