America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers
We feature stories on various topics such as families, housing, employment, business, education, the economy, emergency management, and population.
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- Business and EconomyAbility to Borrow Money Offers Clues to Financial Health of BusinessesFebruary 10, 2026Most employer businesses that applied for credit got what they asked for, according to the latest available data from the Annual Business Survey.
- IncomeHow Income Varies by Race and GeographyJanuary 29, 2026Median income of non-Hispanic White households declined in five states over the past 15 years: Alaska, Connecticut, Louisiana, Nevada, and New Mexico.
- HousingShare of Owner-Occupied, Mortgage-Free Homes Up in 2024January 29, 2026The share of U.S. homeowners without a mortgage was higher in 2024 than a decade earlier nationwide and in every state, though not all counties saw increases.
- HousingRental Costs Up, Mortgages Stayed FlatJanuary 29, 2026Newly Released American Community Survey compares 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 housing costs by county.
- PopulationU.S. Population Growth Slowest Since COVID-19 PandemicJanuary 27, 2026The decline in international migration was felt across the states, though its impact varied.
- Business and EconomyWho Are the Inventors and Firms That Generate the Most Patents?January 22, 2026Research that links patent inventors to Census Bureau data shows that startups tended to produce fewer but more impactful patents than older firms.
- Marriage and DivorceThe Long-Term Effects of Divorce on ChildrenJanuary 20, 2026Children of divorce face higher risks of teen pregnancy, incarceration, low income and early death.
- Business and EconomyExploring New Frontiers With the Quarterly Workforce IndicatorsJanuary 13, 2026New data on employment and hiring for detailed national industries enable data users to explore the composition and dynamics of specialized workforces.
- Business and EconomyEconomic Census Highlights Variety of Products Many Industries SellJanuary 06, 2026North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) Data Release from the 2022 Economic Census is a treasure trove of unique information.
- Business and EconomyRevenue and Employment Trends Reveal Shifts in U.S. EconomyDecember 30, 2025Revenue and employment losses in select retail industries continued,while online sales brokers and local delivery boomed.
- EmploymentThe Stories Behind Census Numbers in 2025December 22, 2025A year-end review of America Counts stories on everything from families and housing to business and income.
- Families and Living ArrangementsMore First-Time Moms Live With an Unmarried PartnerDecember 16, 2025About a quarter of all first-time mothers were cohabiting at the time of childbirth in the early 2020s. College-educated moms were more likely to be married.
- Business and EconomyState Governments Parlay Sports Betting Into Tax WindfallDecember 10, 2025Total state-level sports betting tax revenues has increased 382% since the third quarter of 2021, when data collection began.
- EmploymentU.S. Workforce is Aging, Especially in Some FirmsDecember 02, 2025Firms in sectors like utilities and manufacturing and states like Maine are more likely to have a high share of workers over age 55.
- PopulationTribal Casinos: An Economic BoonNovember 20, 2025A new study explores how tribal casino expansion in the 1990s and 2000s affected poverty, jobs and income for American Indian communities and their neighbors.
- NAICS Sector 31-33 ManufacturingSome Less Populous States Have High Manufacturing Revenue Per CapitaSeptember 29, 2025Today is the start of a week of celebrations at the Census Bureau marking the 14th annual Manufacturing Day on October 3.
- Families and Living ArrangementsCouples’ Finances: Married but SeparateSeptember 24, 2025While most married couples had joint bank accounts, fewer shared all their financial accounts.
- FertilityChildlessness on the Rise — Except for Women Ages 45 to 50September 23, 2025From 2014 to 2024, the share of older mothers rose as fewer teens and women in their 20s and 30s had children.
- Business and EconomyHow AI and Other Technology Impacted Businesses and WorkersSeptember 17, 2025Businesses report that, in most cases, adoption of new technologies like robotics and Artificial Intelligence had no impact on worker numbers or skill level.
- HousingHow the Nation’s Housing Changed in 20 YearsSeptember 16, 2025Twenty years of American Community Survey data show higher housing costs for renters and a smaller share of homeowners with mortgages.
- HousingRecent Homebuyers Face Highest Mortgage Payments in Nearly Two DecadesSeptember 11, 2025Despite higher median monthly mortgage payments, homeowners who moved in 2024 lived in homes with lower median values than those who moved in 2021.
- HealthUninsured Rates Up in 18 States and District of ColumbiaSeptember 11, 2025The percentage of people with Medicaid coverage dropped in 30 states, contributing to a rise in the uninsured rate from 2023 to 2024.
- HousingNearly a Quarter of Homeowners Paid Condo or HOA Fees in 2024September 11, 2025New data show that about 5.5 million households paid less than $50 a month and 3 million over $500 in condo or homeowners association fees in 2024.
- Income and PovertySupplemental Poverty Rate Below Official Rate in Only 10 StatesSeptember 09, 2025Annual national SPM rates ranged from 12.4% to 12.9% and official poverty rates ranged from 10.6% to 11.5% between 2022 and 2024.
- Health InsuranceHealth Insurance Coverage Varied Significantly by OccupationSeptember 09, 2025In 2024, farming, fishing and forestry occupations had among the highest uninsured rates among workers ages 19 to 64.
- Income and PovertyHow Education Impacted Income and Earnings From 2004 to 2024September 09, 2025U.S. median inflation-adjusted income for householders age 25 and over rose 18% from 2004 to 2024 but income gains varied widely by education levels.
- Income and PovertyU.S. Tax System Reduces Income Inequality But Gaps RemainSeptember 09, 2025Household incomes were more equal after accounting for taxes and credits but both pretax and post-tax income inequality rose between 2009 and 2024.
- Income and PovertyNo Significant Change in Estimated U.S. Median Household IncomeSeptember 09, 2025Compared to pre-pandemic estimates from 2019, only Hispanic households experienced a significant increase in median household income in 2024.
- PopulationHeat Risks and Cooling Problems in America’s HouseholdsSeptember 04, 2025The American Housing Survey shows 13.2 million households — more in urban than rural areas — were uncomfortably hot for 24 hours or more in 2023.
- Business and EconomyWhy Own a Business?August 19, 2025Employer businesses are most often owned by someone who strives to make money and be their own boss, according to the 2023 Annual Business Survey.
- EmploymentGenerational Wealth: How High Earners Help Their Children’s CareersAugust 12, 2025Young workers saw 24% greater earnings than peers when their first job was with a parent’s employer. Higher earners and blue-collar workers benefited most.
- PopulationMost Young Adults Had Not Reached Key Milestones of Adulthood in 2024August 05, 2025Less than 25% of 25- to 34-year-olds lived outside their parental home, worked, were married and had kids in 2024, down from almost half in 1975.
- Business and EconomyThe Steady Rise of the Nonemployer BusinessJuly 30, 2025New data confirm growth in nonemployer numbers outpaced their employer counterparts in 2023, continuing pre- and post-COVID 19 pandemic trends.
- Business and EconomyFewer Workers as Number of Retail Clothing Firms ShrinkJuly 08, 2025As retail stores closed, employees left for other industries or jumped to new retail jobs.
- PopulationThe Fourth of July: The Nation’s Population Then and NowJuly 02, 2025The U.S. population is nearly 123 times larger than it was in 1780, the nearest estimate to when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
- Business and EconomyNonemployer Statistics Show Continued Growth in “Gig Economy” ActivitiesJuly 01, 2025New data visualization showcases the nonemployer industries that contributed to U.S. business revenue through gig activities.
Page Last Revised - June 2, 2025