2.1c3 The U.S. Census Bureau

Decennial Census

The Decennial Census is a count of everyone in the United States that occurs every ten years, as required by the U.S. Constitution. The federal government uses the Decennial Census to decide representation in the U.S. House of Representatives, draw state legislative districts, and distribute federal funding to states (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024a). Everyone in the United States must take part in the Decennial Census and answer questions about basic demographics, including age, race, ethnicity, sex, and whether they are homeowners or renters (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024a).

American Community Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau also conducts the American Community Survey each year using a sample of the U.S. population. This survey includes questions about topics not addressed by the Decennial Census, like education and employment (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024a).

The U.S. Census Bureau reports some of the results from the American Community Survey as QuickFacts on its website. QuickFacts reports data on age, sex, race and Hispanic origin, veteran status, foreign-born, housing, families and living arrangements, computer and Internet use, education, health, economy, transportation, income, and poverty. Moreover, the U.S. Census Bureau reports statistics for the country as a whole and organized by state, county, city, and zip code, allowing for comparison between a local community, the state, and the nation. Table 2.1, for instance, shows that the city of Atlanta has a much higher percentage of Black people (46.9%), people with Bachelor’s degrees or higher (58.4%), and people in poverty (17.9%) than either the rest of Georgia or the United States.