Stories
L.A. Homelessness Rose Again, in a Region Where Homes Cost 11 Times Income
Los Angeles homelessness rose after two years of decline, and officials blamed economic pressure. Census data shows 56.5 percent of L.A. renters are cost-burdened and the typical home costs 11.2 times the typical income.
Where Do the Most Japanese Americans Live?
The Census Bureau counts 743,365 people of Japanese origin. Unlike most origin groups, they center on California and Hawaii, where a plantation-era legacy makes Honolulu the top city in the country.
What the Proposed 2030 Census Changes Could Mean for New York
A proposed federal rule may reshape how the 2030 census is conducted, while New York lawmakers advance a redistricting amendment. Both hinge on the same question: how many congressional seats a state that has stopped growing will keep.
The Fastest-Growing Counties in Georgia, 2024 to 2025
Georgia added 98,540 residents in a single year. Fulton and Gwinnett added the most people, but Jackson County grew fastest by far, driven by the manufacturing boom along Interstate 85.
Gwinnett County Went From 90% White to 30%: The Most Diverse Counties in America
In 1990, Gwinnett County, Georgia was 89.6 percent white. Today no group holds even a third of the population, and it ranks fourth in the nation on the CensusEasy Diversity Score. Here are the most diverse counties in America.
Are Middle-Class Incomes Rising? What the Census Data Actually Shows
A former White House adviser put the typical American household at $86,000. The published American Community Survey figure is $82,259. Here is why there is more than one official median household income, and what that means for claims about recent income growth.
The Cities Where the Most People Work From Home
In the leading U.S. cities, nearly two in five workers primarily work from home. The map is remarkably specific: affluent, highly educated suburbs of the country's tech and knowledge-economy metros.
El Paso County Ranks First in Texas for Households Without Air Conditioning
An estimated 10,964 El Paso County households have no air conditioning, the highest share of any Texas county at 3.7 percent. In a lower-income border county where summers top 100 degrees, the real barrier is often the cost of running the AC, not owning it.
The Fastest-Growing Counties in Texas, 2024 to 2025
Texas added 391,243 residents in a single year. Harris County led in raw numbers, but the fastest growth was in the exurban collar counties, with Kaufman County landing near the top of both the numeric and percentage rankings.
Housing Construction Jumped in June, but Permits Point to a Cooling Single-Family Market
U.S. housing starts rose 19 percent in June, but the gain was almost entirely multifamily. Single-family starts were flat and building permits fell 3 percent, a sign the single-family pipeline is cooling.
Is the American Community Survey Legitimate? What It Is and How to Verify It
The American Community Survey is a real, mandatory U.S. Census Bureau survey sent to about 3.5 million addresses a year, not a scam. Here is what it collects, how to confirm a request is genuine, and why your answers matter.
Median Household Income by State
Every U.S. state ranked by median household income, from Massachusetts at $103,960 to Mississippi at $56,447, using the latest Census Bureau American Community Survey data.
Nearly 90% of U.S. Census Tracts Sit on Flat Land
A newly updated USDA Economic Research Service dataset ranks every census tract from level to extremely rugged. About nine in ten sit on level or nearly level land, with rugged terrain packed into a few mountain systems.
Where Do the Most Cuban Americans Live?
Cuban Americans are the most geographically concentrated group in this series. Florida holds 1.63 million of the 2.59 million national total, and the Miami metro alone accounts for 1.16 million, the legacy of exile after 1959.
North Carolina's Hispanic and Asian Populations Keep Growing, Slowing the State's Aging
New Census Bureau estimates show North Carolina's Hispanic population grew 4.5% last year and its Asian population is up 32% since 2020, despite tighter immigration enforcement. Because both groups are younger, they are slowing the rise in the state's median age.
How the Census Could Be Improved Before 2030
The 2020 census nailed the national total but missed a million young children and undercounted Black, Hispanic, and Native residents. Here are the four fixes on the table for 2030, from administrative records to reliable technology.
Former Census Bureau Program Manager Sentenced to Two Years in $790,000 Kickback Scheme
Camille Jones, a former supervisory official at the U.S. Census Bureau, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for steering a multimillion-dollar contract to a relative's company in exchange for $790,000 in kickbacks.
Where Do the Most Spaniard Americans Live?
The Census Bureau counts 1,001,966 people of Spaniard origin, meaning from Spain itself. California leads, but the tell is New Mexico at fourth, home to the centuries-old Hispano descendants of Spanish colonists.
America's Broadband Deserts: Where Internet Access Is Worst
The national broadband subscription rate is 91.0%, but the gap is geographic. The rural South and Southwestern tribal lands sit far below, with some Mississippi Delta counties under half.
Where Do the Most Filipino Americans Live?
Filipino Americans number just over 3 million, and California holds nearly half of them. Here is where the community concentrates, from Los Angeles and San Diego to Honolulu and fast-growing Las Vegas.
The Most Economically Unequal Cities in America
The Gini index measures how evenly income is spread, from 0 to 1. The U.S. sits at 0.476. Here are the large cities where the gap runs widest, and what the number does and does not tell you.