In this issue, we dive into the science of demography, the study of human populations, through the lens of the U.S. census. An accurate count of the American population was considered so essential by the Founding Fathers that they enshrined the once-a-decade enumeration into the Constitution. But arriving at an accurate count has proven to be a challenge.
Births, deaths and migration drive population change, and to understand the fabric of a population, demographers often consider age, sex, family and households, as well as education, language, employment, income, wealth, race and ethnicity.
Demographic data are used to identify economic and social problems and develop solutions to address those problems. The federal government relies on census data to allocate billions in federal aid each year. Industries also use the results to identify trends and develop new markets. Local governments determine where they’ll need new schools or fire stations. Scientists in many fields turn to the data for their own research.
So getting numbers right matters. But the question of people’s race or ethnicity has bedeviled the census from the start, with demographic data often ignored or manipulated to serve political ends, freelance writer Betsy Ladyzhets reports.