United States. Bureau of the Census

The United States Bureau of the Census—now commonly known as the U.S. Census Bureau—is the federal government’s official statistical agency and operates under the U.S. Department of Commerce. Since 1903, it has served as the nation’s official census-taking agency.

The bureau’s best-known responsibility is conducting the decennial census, a population count required by the U.S. Constitution every ten years. It also produces a wide range of statistics about American people, governments, businesses, housing, and the economy through ongoing surveys and specialized programs.

Its historical publications preserve data collected from the earliest national censuses through the modern era, making the bureau an important source for understanding how the United States has changed over time.