As the nation ages, immigration emerges as a key driver of population growth. And Texas and Florida continue to gain residents, while New York and California continue to lose them.
Tag Archives: census
Canada’s Growing Linguistic Diversity
A new report from Canada’s census agency shows that one in four people speak a language other than English or French as their native tongue.
New Findings Detail Trump Plan to Use Census for Partisan Gain
A new trove of memos and emails suggest that the plan to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census aimed to cause an undercount that would favor Republicans.
Gerrymandered Redistricting Maps Have Become the Norm
The way we designed our system of political representation incentivizes the worst and most extreme elements of our politics.
The Pandemic Flight of Wealthy New Yorkers Was a Once-in-a-Century Shock
New tax data reveal a steep population loss in 2020, toward the start of the pandemic. The exodus was temporary, but how much of its effects could be permanent?
Census Likely Miscounted the Population of 14 States, a Review Finds
A survey indicated that census takers in 2020 undercounted the number of people in six states, mostly in the South, and overcounted in eight others. Covid is among many possible reasons.
Many 2020 Census Details Will Be Delayed Until 2023
The most contentious census in memory will also be the slowest to release detailed statistics for businesses and governments to use. Blame it (partly) on the pandemic.
The Census Faces Privacy Concerns
Technology advances forced the Census Bureau to use sweeping measures to ensure privacy for respondents. The ensuing debate goes to the heart of what a census is.
For the New Census Bureau Director, the Challenge of the Decade
Robert L. Santos, a career statistician, heads an agency in recovery from a tumultuous 2020 census. In an interview, he talks about making the 2030 count better.
How to Find Newly Released Census Records From 1950
It is now easy to access information on individuals from that census, but beware of misspelled names.
Seven Decades Later, the 1950 Census Bares Its Secrets
Federal law kept the answers on millions of census forms secret for 72 years. The forms go online on Friday, a bonanza for historians, genealogists and the merely curious.
Cities Lost Population in 2021, Leading to the Slowest Year of Growth in U.S. History
Although some of the fastest growing regions in the country continued to grow, the gains were nearly erased by stark losses in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
How U.S. Census Data May Be Changing
Some experts are arguing that it’s time for the census to aggressively make use of government data and other sources to augment its own decennial count.
2020 Census Undercounted U.S. Population by Nearly 19 Million
The Census Bureau said it had undercounted Black, Latino and Indigenous people and overcounted white and Asian Americans.
Amid Slowdown, Immigration Is Driving U.S. Population Growth
A declining birthrate and pandemic deaths helped drive U.S. population growth to historic lows. But immigration appears to be back on the rise.
China’s Births Hit Historic Low, Barely Outpacing Death Rate
China’s population, the world’s largest at 1.4 billion, may soon start shrinking, according to new data. Some experts say it already has.
Census Memo Cites ‘Unprecedented’ Meddling by Trump Administration
Newly released documents show that top career officials at the Census Bureau had drafted a list of complaints about political interference in the 2020 count.
How the US census led to the first data processing company 125 years ago

Enlarge / This electromechanical machine, used in the 1890 U.S. census, was the first automated data processing system. (credit: Michael Hicks (CC BY 2.0))
The US Constitution requires that a population count be conducted at the beginning of every decade.
This census has always been charged with political significance, and continues to be. That’s clear from the controversies in the run-up to the 2020 census.
But it’s less widely known how important the census has been in developing the US computer industry, a story that I tell in my book, Republic of Numbers: Unexpected Stories of Mathematical Americans through History. That history includes the founding of the first automated data processing company, the Tabulating Machine Company, 125 years ago on December 3, 1896.
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Colorism and Racism Belong to the Same Family
The relative decline of whites in the population does not guarantee racial progress.
Robert Santos Confirmed as First Latino to Lead Census Bureau
The confirmation on Thursday brings a permanent head to the agency after a turbulent period under the Trump administration.
Long Island City is Home to N.Y.C’s Growing Asian Population
In a corner of Queens, a fivefold increase in Asian residents since 2010 is transforming the area’s restaurants, housing and politics.
Long Island City is Home to N.Y.C’s Fastest Growing Asian Population
In a corner of Queens, a fivefold increase in Asian residents since 2010 is transforming the area’s restaurants, housing and politics.
Texas Is the Future of America
The idea of the Lone Star state as a herald of the national future is not just terrifying to liberals.
Redistricting Is the Name of the Game
Gimme an R! Gimme an E! Gimme a Districting!
The U.S. Is Winning the War on Poverty
Government programs have steadily reduced the share of people in poverty
An Ill-Starred 2020 Census Gets a Cautious Thumbs-Up
Pandemic, hurricanes, fires and politics seemed a recipe for an inaccurate count. But a preliminary check found no clear sign of lapses.
The Downtown Decade: U.S. Population Density Rose in the 2010s
Outer suburbs still grew the fastest, but many downtowns and central districts also grew rapidly.
The Census Said Detroit Kept Shrinking. The Mayor Begs to Differ.
Mayor Mike Duggan, who ran on a promise to reverse generations of population decline, blamed the Census Bureau, not himself, after the head count fell again.
What the ‘Majority Minority’ Shift Really Means for America
The census should collect data about race. But we should stop obsessing over it.
When Will Texas Say Enough’s Enough to Greg Abbott?
Voters should take “personal responsibility” and find a better person to run Texas.
Chocolate Chip Cities
Black presence and Black power in America are on a seesaw.
How a Remote Town in Texas Became One of America’s Fastest-Growing Cities
Known for its German roots and its world-famous water park, New Braunfels, Texas, in the thriving corridor between San Antonio and Austin, grew 56 percent over the past decade.
Who Has the Cure for America’s Declining Population? Canada.
Let states bring in workers from around the world, based on their labor needs.
Why the Census Reported an Increase in Multiracial Americans
Families across the country have grown more diverse. A design change in the census form also allowed the government to report people’s identity in greater detail.
Decline in Immigration Threatens Growth of Regions on the Rise
Immigrants helped make places like Northwest Arkansas economic dynamos. But their dwindling numbers, a big factor in slower population growth, could have long-term repercussions.
China Wants More Babies. Some Men Choose Vasectomies.
As the Chinese government tries to increase the country’s falling birthrate, some millennials are striving for a lifestyle commonly known as “Double Income, No Kids.”
How the Coming Population Bust Will Transform the World
Fewer babies’ cries. More abandoned homes. Toward the middle of this century, as deaths start to exceed births, changes will come that are hard to fathom.
The World Might Be Running Low on Americans
Welcoming more immigrants is the best way to reverse America’s demographic decline.
We Need Lots More Americans. The World Is Ready to Provide Them.
Welcoming more immigrants is the best way to reverse America’s demographic decline.
China Wants to Boost Births. But It’s Wary of Losing Control.
Some local governments are allowing couples to have more children without penalties, but the ruling Communist Party seems reluctant to lift restrictions altogether.
Once-a-Decade Census Shows an Aging, Better-Educated China
The country is locked in a demographic crisis. But the figures also showed rising education and urbanization levels.
Who’s Really Leaving California?
Monday: A look at California’s (slight) population decline. Also: San Francisco marks an L.G.B.T.Q. historical landmark.
Tell Us: Do You Want Children?
If you are in your 20s, 30s or 40s, we want to hear your thoughts on becoming a parent.
Why Democratic Departures From the House Have Republicans Salivating
A growing number of Democrats in battleground districts are retiring or leaving to seek higher office, imperiling the party’s slim House majority and President Biden’s expansive agenda.
Biggest U.S. Urban Counties Got a Little Less Big
Fewer arrivals from other countries and more people moving to less populous areas accelerate a trend, new census estimates show.
A Population Slowdown in the U.S.
How the declining birthrate could profoundly shape the nation’s future.
Why New York State’s Population Growth Surprised Experts
The details of how and where the census counts can make a big difference.
Why Rising Diversity Might Not Help Democrats as Much as They Hope
Voters of color make up an increasing percentage of the United States electorate, but that trend isn’t hurting Republicans as much as conservatives fear.
Did the 2020 Census Undercount the Hispanic Population?
Officials from both parties say the census numbers released this week raise questions about the totals, with Democrats contending that the Hispanic population was undercounted.
People of Color Breathe More Hazardous Air. The Sources Are Everywhere.
Researchers uncovered stark disparities between white people and minorities across thousands of categories of pollution, including trucks, industry, agriculture and even restaurants.