Special Edition Profile America Facts for Features: World Statistics Day: Oct. 20

CORRECTION TO THIS STATEMENT:

India

The most populous country in 2050 with 1.7 billion people, according to U.S. Census Bureau population projections. China is projected to be second with 1.3 billion people. Source: International Data Base <http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/informationGateway.php>

PROFILE AMERICA FACTS FOR FEATURES: CB15-FF.20

OCT. 16, 2015

The United Nations General Assembly designated Oct. 20, 2015 as the second World Statistics Day to highlight the role of official statistics and the many achievements of national statistical systems. Statistical organizations throughout the world will celebrate this year’s theme of “Better Data. Better Lives” at the national and regional level. The U.S. government has a long history of collecting statistics about the nation's people, economy and society beginning with the first national census in 1790. Today, 13 principal federal agencies collect or publish the statistics the nation uses to record progress and plan for the future.

The World

7.3 billion

The estimated current world population. Source: U.S. and World Population Clock <http://www.census.gov/popclock/>

1.4 billion

The population of China, the most populous country in the world. China is closely followed by India and then the U.S. Source: U.S. and World Population Clock <http://www.census.gov/popclock/>

India

The most populous country in 2050 with 1.7 billion people, according to U.S. Census Bureau population projections. China is projected to be second with 1.3 billion people. Source: International Data Base <http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/informationGateway.php>

The United States

321.9 million

The estimated current U.S. population. We reached 300 million in 2006, 200 million in 1967 and 100 million in 1915. When our nation achieved independence in 1776, we had a population of only 2.5 million.  Source: U.S. and World Population Clock <http://www.census.gov/popclock/?intcmp=home_pop>

14.8 percent

The percentage of people in the U.S. living in poverty in 2014, which means there are 46.7 million people living in poverty. Source: Income and Poverty in the United States: 2014 <http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2015/demo/p60-252.pdf>

$53,657

The median household income in the U.S. in 2014, which is not statistically different from the 2013 median income. Source: Income and Poverty in the United States: 2014 <http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2015/demo/p60-252.pdf>

10.4 percent

The percentage of people without health insurance coverage in the U.S. in 2014, down from 13.3 percent in 2013. The number of people without health insurance declined to 33.0 million from 41.8 million over the period. Source: Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2014 <http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2015/demo/p60-253.pdf>

83.1 million

The number of millennials, people born between 1982 and 2000, in the U.S. This group exceeds the baby boomers, people born between 1946 and 1964, by 7.7 million. Source: 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B01001>

30.5 million

The number of businesses in the U.S. in 2013. This number includes non-employer businesses as well as businesses with paid employees. Source: 2013 County Business Patterns, 2013 Nonemployer Statistics <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/NES/2013/00A1> <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2013/00A1>

85.8 percent

The percentage of workers who commute by car. Source: Who Drives to Work? Commuting by Automobile in the United States <http://www.census.gov/hhes/commuting/files/2014/acs-32.pdf>

161.9 million

The number of women in the U.S. in 2014. Overall, the U.S. had more women than men (156.9 million). In a few states, however, men outnumbered women, such as Alaska where there were 387,296 men and 349,436 women. Sources: 2014 Population Estimates  <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPAGESEX> and <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPAGESEX?slice=GEO~0400000US02>

33.1 million

The number of U.S. residents who claimed Irish ancestry in 2014, which was six times the population of Ireland itself (4.9 million). Sources: 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B04006> and <http://www.census.gov/popclock/world/ei>

53,364

The number of centenarians (100 years old or more) in the U.S. in 2010. Projections indicate that in 2050, the number will be 387,000. Sources: Centenarians: 2010 <https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/reports/c2010sr-03.pdf> and 2014 National Population Projections: Summary Tables-Table 3 <http://www.census.gov/population/projections/data/national/2014/summarytables.html>

11.6 percent

The percentage of women age 25 and over holding an advanced degree in 2014. Source: Current Population Survey 2014: Table 2. Educational Attainment of the Population 25 Years and Over, by Selected Characteristics: 2014 <http://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/2014/tables.html>

86.9 percent

The percentage of people age 25 and over who held at least a high school degree in 2014. Source: 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/S1501>

30.1 percent

The percentage of people age 25 and over who held at least a bachelor's degree in 2014. Source: 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/S1501>

29.3 percent

The percentage of householders who rated their homes a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10 in 2013. Source: 2013 American Housing Survey-Table Creator: 2013 Housing and Neighborhood Search and Satisfaction Table <http://sasweb.ssd.census.gov/ahs/ahstablecreator.html>

26.0 minutes

The national mean travel time to work in 2014. Source: Commuting Characteristics by Sex 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/S0801>

The Federal Statistical System

231

The number of links to international statistical agencies the U.S. Census Bureau website includes. Visit them by clicking the link below. Source: <http://www.census.gov/population/international/links/stat_int.html>

130

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts more than 130 surveys each year, including our largest, the American Community Survey. Source: <http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/surveys-programs.html>

13

The number of U.S. principal statistical agencies. They are the Bureau of Economic Analysis; Bureau of Justice Statistics; Bureau of Labor Statistics; Bureau of Transportation Statistics; U.S. Census Bureau; Economic Research Service; Energy Information Administration; National Agricultural Statistics Service; National Center for Education Statistics; National Center for Health Statistics; National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics; Office of Research Evaluation and Statistics; and the Statistics of Income. These 13 agencies, plus the Office of Environmental Information, make up the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy. Source: Office of Management and Budget, Statistical Programs of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2016 <https://fedstats.sites.usa.gov/agencies/>

127

There are 127 agencies with statistical programs in the federal statistical system in the U.S. Source: Office of Management and Budget, Statistical Programs of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2016 <https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/information_and_regulatory_affairs/statistical-programs-2016.pdf>

2,106

The number of statisticians working at the U.S. Census Bureau in 2015. Source: Office of Management and Budget, Statistical Programs of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2016 <https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/information_and_regulatory_affairs/statistical-programs-2016.pdf>

Statisticians

32,115

The number of statisticians employed full time, year-round in the U.S. in 2014. Source: 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B24124>

16 percent

The percentage of statisticians employed by the federal government, with most of them concentrated in the Departments of Commerce, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services in 2014. Another 7 percent worked for state governments. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics <http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes152041.htm>

27 percent

The projected growth of employment of statisticians from 2012 to 2022. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics <http://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/statisticians.htm>

$83,461

The median earnings for statisticians in 2014. Source: 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B24121>

Stats for Kids

73.6 million

The number of children under 18 in the U.S. in 2014. Source: 2014 Population Estimates <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPAGESEX>

79 percent

The percentage of children who ate dinner with a parent every day in a typical week. Source: A Child's Day: At a Glance Infographic <http://www.census.gov/library/infographics/childs_day_2015.html>

68.7 percent

The percentage of children under 18 who lived with two parents in 2014. Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2014, Table C9 <http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/files/cps2014/tabC9-all.xls>

7 times

The average number of times children 3 to 5 years old were read to in the past week. Source: A Child's Day: At a Glance Infographic <http://www.census.gov/library/infographics/childs_day_2015.html>

86 percent

The percentage of children who are subject to family television rules, such as limiting what programs they may watch, what times they may watch and how many hours they may watch television. Source: A Child's Day: Living Arrangements, Nativity, and Family Transitions: 2011 (Selected Indicators of Child Well-Being) <http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2014/demo/p70-139.pdf>

35 percent

The percentage of children ages 6 to 17 who participated in sports in 2011. Source: A Child's Day: Living Arrangements, Nativity, and Family Transitions: 2011 (Selected Indicators of Child Well-Being)  <http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2014/demo/p70-139.pdf>

29 percent

The percentage of children ages 6 to 17 who participated in extracurricular clubs in 2011. Source: A Child's Day: Living Arrangements, Nativity, and Family Transitions: 2011 (Selected Indicators of Child Well-Being)  <http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2014/demo/p70-139.pdf>

5.4 million

The estimated number of “stay-at-home” parents in 2014 in the U.S.: 5.2 million mothers and 211,000 fathers. Source: America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2014 <http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/files/shp1.xls>

Special Editions of the U.S. Census Bureau's Facts for Features are issued to provide background information for lesser-known observances, anniversaries of historic events and other timely topics in the news.

For more information about the U.S. Census Bureau, please visit <http://www.census.gov/> and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube (/uscensusbureau).

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:

African-American History Month (February)             Labor Day

Super Bowl                                                                        Grandparents Day

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14)                                               Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)

Women’s History Month (March)                                Unmarried and Single Americans Week

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/                   Halloween (Oct. 31) 

St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)                                          American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month

Earth Day (April 22)                                                           (November)

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)           Veterans Day (Nov. 11) 

Older Americans Month (May)                                     Thanksgiving Day                                 

Mother’s Day                                                               The Holiday Season (December)

Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)                                                                   

Father’s Day                                                                                          

The Fourth of July (July 4)

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)

Back to School (August)                                                                                                                   

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines.

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