United States Census Figures Back to 1630

This statistical publication by the United States Bureau of the Census compiles historical population data for the United States, reaching back to early colonial times and continuing through later years. It explains the approach used to assemble the figures, including how values drawn from different sources were averaged and how post-1992 estimates were adjusted. The work frames these historical counts as more than isolated numbers, emphasizing how inflation and population growth can affect interpretation over time, including connections to educational attainment. It also stresses the importance of careful demographic analysis when drawing conclusions from the accompanying tables, warning against oversimplifying changes without considering underlying growth rates.