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U.S. Census Bureau: population, income, poverty and economic data

The U.S. Census Bureau, part of the Department of Commerce, runs the decennial census, the American Community Survey (ACS) and annual population estimates, and publishes official income, poverty and health insurance statistics and economic indicators such as retail sales, construction and trade. Its tables are on data.census.gov and through a free API. Fact-checkers use it for claims about population, household income, poverty, housing and local demographics.

Release calendar

What it publishes

• The decennial census (next in 2030), used to apportion House seats.
• Annual population estimates for the nation, states, counties and cities (Vintage 2025 is the latest).
• The American Community Survey: yearly data on income, housing, education, commuting and more for areas down to block groups.
• Income, poverty and health insurance estimates from the Current Population Survey supplement each September.
• Monthly economic indicators, including new residential construction and sales, retail sales and international trade with BEA.
• The Economic Census every five years and business surveys.

Key datasets

• Vintage 2025 population estimates
  National, regional and county population by age, with change since 2020.
  Updated: Annual
• Income, poverty and health insurance 2025
  Median household income, official and supplemental poverty rates, uninsured rate.
  Updated: Annual (September)
• Poverty in the United States: 2025
  Full report with tables by age, race, region and family type.
  Updated: Annual
• American Community Survey
  Detailed local social, economic and housing data, 1-year and 5-year estimates.
  Updated: Annual
• New Residential Sales
  Monthly new home sales, inventory and median sales price, with HUD.
  Updated: Monthly
• Economic indicators
  Latest values and release dates for the Bureau's monthly economic indicators.
  Updated: Monthly

APIs and downloads

• data.census.gov
  Search and download tables from the census, ACS, population estimates and economic surveys.
• Census Data API
  Free JSON API covering most datasets; a key is recommended for heavy use.
• Developers page
  API documentation, variable lists and examples.

When it publishes

The Census Bureau publishes economic indicators on dates set in advance in its economic indicator calendar. Income and poverty estimates appear each September, ACS 1-year estimates in September and 5-year estimates in December, and population estimates from December (national and state) to June (county and age detail).

How to use it to check a claim

1. For population, use the latest estimate vintage, which revises earlier years.
2. For income, check whether a figure is from the CPS supplement (national trend) or the ACS (local detail); they are not directly comparable.
3. For poverty, say whether the claim uses the official measure or the Supplemental Poverty Measure.
4. Quote margins of error for ACS and monthly construction figures; many month-to-month changes are not statistically significant.

Common mistakes

• Median household income is pre-tax money income and excludes non-cash benefits.
• ACS 1-year estimates exist only for areas with 65,000 or more people; smaller places need 5-year estimates.
• New home sales prices cover only newly built homes, not the whole market.
• Parts of census.gov use bot protection, so automated tools may be blocked while the pages work in a browser.

What was the U.S. population in 2025?

341,784,857 on July 1, 2025, according to the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates.

Where can I find data for my town or county?

Use data.census.gov and search the place name; the ACS 5-year estimates cover every county, city and census tract.

Is there a Census API?

Yes. api.census.gov serves most Census datasets as JSON. The developers page lists datasets and variables.

Questions answered using this source

• What is the population of the United States?
• What is the poverty rate in the United States?
• What is the median household income in the United States?
• What is the average house price in the United States?
• When is the next U.S. census?

Links checked 14 October 2026. This page describes what the source publishes and gives no verdict on any claim.