Age and Sex

Data on the age and sex composition of the U.S. population are available from a variety of Census Bureau sources. Brief descriptions of three data sources are provided below, along with links. Availability of data by specific characteristics (e.g., single years of age and five-year age groups), reference date, and geographic level are highlighted.

Decennial Census

The U.S. Constitution mandates that a census be taken in the United State every 10 years. This is required in order to determine the number of seats each state is to receive in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Census Bureau collects data on age and sex to support a variety of legislative and program requirements. These data are also used to aid in allocating funds from federal programs and, in particular, from programs targeting specific age groups.”

American Community Survey

The American Community Survey (ACS) is a national household survey collected monthly which provides communities with reliable and timely demographic, housing, social and economic data every year. The ACS replaces the decennial census long form.

Current Population Survey

The Current Population Survey (CPS) is a monthly survey of about 50,000 households conducted by the Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPS is the primary source of labor force statistics for the population of the United States.