Population Estimates

About Population Estimates

Each year, the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program (PEP) utilizes current data on births, deaths, and migration to calculate population change since the most recent decennial census and produce a time series of estimates of population, demographic components of change, and housing units. The annual time series of estimates begins with the most recent decennial census data and extends to the vintage year.

As each vintage of estimates includes all years since the most recent decennial census, the latest vintage of data available supersedes all previously-produced estimates for those dates.

The following estimates are produced and released:

• National, state, and county total resident population and demographic components of population change
• National resident, household, resident plus Armed Forces overseas, civilian, and civilian noninstitutionalized populations by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin
• State and county resident population by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin
• Puerto Rico Commonwealth and municipio total resident population and demographic components of population change
• Puerto Rico Commonwealth and municipio resident population by age and sex
• Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area total resident population and demographic components of population change (Note: metro and micro areas are composed of one or more whole counties or equivalent entities. Producing metro and micro area population estimates involves the aggregation of the appropriate county-level population estimates.)
• City, town, and other subcounty area total resident population
• National, state, and county housing units

For detailed information about the methods used to create the population estimates, see Methodology.