National Censuses, 1790–2000

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff

The following table shows the total resident population, land area, and population per square mile of the United States according to the Census Bureau from 1790 to 2010.

Year Resident
population2
Land area,
sq mi
Pop. per
sq mi
1790 3,929,214 864,746 4.5
1800 5,308,483 864,746 6.1
1810 7,239,881 1,681,828 4.3
1820 9,638,453 1,749,462 5.5
1830 12,866,020 1,749,462 7.4
1840 17,069,453 1,749,462 9.8
1850 23,191,876 2,940,042 7.9
1860 31,443,321 2,969,640 10.6
1870 39,818,449 2,969,640 13.4
1880 50,155,783 2,969,640 16.9
1890 62,947,714 2,969,640 21.2
1900 75,994,575 2,969,834 25.6
1910 91,972,266 2,969,565 31.0
1920 105,710,620 2,969,451 35.6
1930 122,775,046 2,977,128 41.2
1940 131,669,275 2,977,128 44.2
1950 150,697,361 2,974,726 50.7
1960 179,323,175 3,540,911 50.6
1970 203,302,031 3,540,023 57.4
1980 226,545,805 3,539,289 64.0
1990 248,709,873 3,536,278 70.3
2000281,421,9063,537,44179.6
2010308,745,5383,531,90587.4
1. Beginning with 1960, figures include Alaska and Hawaii.
2. Excludes armed forces overseas.
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census. Web: www.census.gov.
Sources +