The Census Atlas of the United States is an authoritative reference work that includes more than 700 full-color maps presenting official Census data from 1790 through 2000. This unique collection of maps, text, and data, published by the Census Bureau, provides historic and contemporary demographic information that paints a fascinating and dynamic portrait of the American nation.

The Atlas interprets population and housing data through maps organized by:

    * States
    * Counties
    * Cities of more than one million
    * Major metropolitan areas of more than 4 million

This comprehensive interdisciplinary resource:

    * Conveys in-depth information pertinent to such disciplines as geography, social studies, sociology, and marketing
    * Reveals the social, political, economic, and environmental landscape of America through two centuries of unique data
    * Furnishes teachers, librarians, students, and researchers with a wealth of primary source material for research and reference
    * Provides map fanciers and anyone interested in the historical trends of the United States with a treasure trove of visual information
    * Includes notes, a glossary, and an index

Introduction:

This volume is the first comprehensive atlas produced by the u.s. Census Bureau since the early twentieth century. It highlights demographic, social, and economic conditions and changes for both people and housing in the United States and Puerto Rico. The atlas illustrates the wide range of data collected by the u.s. decennial censuses of population from the first in 1790 to the latest in 2000.

The census is conducted every ten years to apportion representatives among the states for the House of Representatives, as required by Article 1, Section 2 of the u.s. Constitution. The 1790 population of 3.9 million resided on 860,000 square miles; in 2000 the population was 281 million distributed over 3.5 million square miles (Figure 1-1). In addition to the population count required for apportionment, population statistics on the geographic distribution of the population are available for 21 decades. Data on demographic, social, and economic characteristics are available for varying numbers of decades, depending on when topics were first included in the census. Since 1940, a census of housing has been conducted in conjunction with the census of population.

This atlas reflects access to the full range of data for Census 2000 and earlier censuses, both digital and in print. These resources enable the atlas to demonstrate in graphic form the continuous record of the changing population of the United States.

Visit Census Atlas of the United States Download Page

You can download the publication in PDF format.

Table of Contents

    Cover and Front Matter (12M) [PDF]
    1. Introduction (5M) [PDF]
    2. Population Distribution (17M) [PDF]
    3. Race and Hispanic Origin (17M) [PDF]
    4. Age and Sex (13M) [PDF]
    5. Living Arrangements (21M) [PDF]
    6. Place of Birth and U.S. Citizenship (15M) [PDF]
    7. Migration (13M) [PDF]
    8. Language (11M) [PDF]
    9. Ancestry (15M) [PDF]
    10. Education (15M) [PDF]
    11. Work (19M) [PDF]
    12. Military Service (11M) [PDF]
    13. Income and Poverty (19M) [PDF]
    14. Housing (20M) [PDF]
    Reference Maps (15M) [PDF]
    Notes (16M) [PDF]
    Glossary (5M) [PDF]
    Map and Figure Index (3M) [PDF]

Foreword:

On behalf of the U.S. Census Bureau, I am pleased to present the Census Atlas of the United States. It is the product of extensive efforts on the part of many talented individuals, and I am proud of their work.

You should prepare yourself before turning through the pages of this book. The Census Atlas of the United States is an invitation to spend several hours considering the characteristics of our country. These maps do not merely offer graphic representations of facts and data. They reveal the relationships among our nation's people and the states, cities, and counties where they have chosen to live. In short, the book tells the story of our nation-its past, present, and future.

The Year of Maximum Population map provides a succinct history of the United States in one illustration. The color patterns capture the migration flows and growth of the nation's population and its history, including the eras of westward expansion, sectional crisis and the Civil War, the end of the frontier, the industrial revolution, and the rise of the post-World War II suburban culture. The map of Prevalent Ancestry reveals a range of ancestries-millions of diverse people living among one another. Herbert Hoover once observed that "the real basis of American democracy" was "freedom of opportunity and equal chance." These concepts were the foundation of our success. The range of ancestries living together is the proof of freedom and opportunity's enticements to the many peoples from throughout the world who have made this nation their home. Throughout our nation's history we have proven that diversity is a strength and an opportunity, as we have worked together to build a successful nation.

In addition, these maps can tell us quite a lot about our recent history and our future. The regional migration maps, particularly the map of Migration Between California and Other States, as well as the college education completion maps, show that remarkable changes have taken place since the 1950s. The United States of my childhood is no more, a new America is emerging ...different opportunities are becoming available, new occupations and industries are rising throughout the country. The rise of educational achievement in recent decades has offered new prospects for millions of Americans-not only extending the hope for individual success, but also changing the foundations of our economy. The map depicting the Total Dependency Ratio and the other
dependency ratio maps tell something of where our country may be going in the future. The demographic
composition of many regions foretells opportunities, as well as difficult choices, as we contemplate our nation's future.

In short, the Census Atlas of the United States offers lessons from our past and hints of our future. Look through this book. Enjoy it. In fact, look through it again and again. Each time I have seen this publication-from its beginning proposals to the final product-it has induced new associations, new insights, and new perspectives about our nation's heritage and its future.

These maps remind us of what we should not forget. The United States is a unique nation that has faced varied challenges and it must continue to draw on its unique strengths to succeed in the future. I hope you will not only learn from the pages of this atlas but also enjoy it.

Charles Louis Kincannon, Director
December 2006

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