Population Census
The Decennial Census
1790-1900

The decennial census has been taken since 1790. From 1790-1900, the Census Office was part of the Department of the Interior, and the Censuses were classed under "I." Starting with the 13th Decennial Census (1910), the Census Office (under the name Bureau of the Census) was moved to the Dept. of Commerce and classified under "C."

Population Census
The Decennial Census
1910-1950

The 13th Decennial Census was the first census classified under the Department of Commerce. Earlier censuses were classified under the Department of the Interior. The 17th census (1950) was the last decennial census to have topics classed together. Starting with 1960, each topic has its own classification.

Census of Population
and Housing
1960-present

A census of population has been taken every 10 years since 1790. Starting in 1960, the Censuses of Population and Housing were classified separately from the rest of the topics.

Census of Agriculture
1840-present

The first United States Census of Agriculture was taken in 1840 as part of the sixth Decennial Census of Population. From 1850 to 1920, an agricultural census was taken every 10 years as part of the Decennial Census. A mid-decennial agricultural census was taken in 1925 and taken quinquennially until 1950. Starting in 1954, the census of agriculture is conducted for the years ending in "4" and in "9." Starting in 1997, the classification changed to A 92.53. [Bureau of the Census Catalog of Publications, p. 6]

Census of Governments
1850-present

A census of governments was taken at approximately 10-year intervals from 1850-1942. The census of governments for the year 1957 was the first taken after 1942. Since 1957, the periodical census of governments has been taken at 5-year intervals (for years ending in 2 and 7). [Bureau of the Census Catalog of Publications, p. 117.]

Economic Censuses
1954-present

The economic census has been taken as an integrated program at 5-year intervals since 1967 and before that for 1954, 1958, and 1963. Prior to that time, individual components of the economic census were taken separately at varying intervals. The economic census traces its beginnings to the 1810 Decennial Census, when questions on manufacturing were included with those for population. Coverage of economic activities was expanded for the 1840 Decennial Census and subsequent censuses to include mining and some commercial activities. The 1905 Manufactures Census was the first time a census was taken apart from the regular decennial population census. Censuses covering retail and wholesale trade and construction industries were added in 1930, as were some covering service trades in 1933. Censuses of construction, manufacturing, and the other business service censuses were suspended during World War II. The 1954 Economic Census was the first census to be fully integrated.

TIGER/Line
(Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing) Data

The TIGER/Line files are a digital database of geographic features, such as roads, railroads, rivers, lakes, political boundaries, census statistical boundaries, etc. covering the entire United States.

The database contains information about these features such as their location in latitude and longitude, the name, the type of feature, address ranges for most streets, the geographic relationship to other features, and other related information. They are the public product created from the Census Bureau's TIGER (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing) database of geographic information. TIGER was developed at the Census Bureau to support the mapping and related geographic activities required by the decennial census and sample survey programs.