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Fourth of July Fun Facts: Census 2020 Edition

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As we celebrate this Independence Day, we reflect on how our Founding Fathers enshrined in our Constitution the importance of statistics as a vital tool for measuring our people, places and economy.

The following facts are possible thanks to responses to U.S. Census Bureau surveys. We appreciate the public’s cooperation as we continuously measure America’s people, places and economy.

Did You Know?

2.5 million

The estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation in July 1776. Source: Historical Statistics of the United States: 1789-1945

328 million

The nation’s estimated population on July 1, 2019. Source: Vintage 2019 Population Estimates

The number of signers of the Declaration of Independence.

It is also worth noting that:

John Hancock, a merchant by trade, was the first signer. In 2017, 1.1 million business establishments with paid employees like Hancock were in the retail trade industry. Source: 2017 Geography Area Series: County Business Patterns, Table CB1600A11
Benjamin Franklin, who represented Pennsylvania, was the oldest of the signers at age 70. Pennsylvania had an estimated population 12,801,989, and Franklin County, Pa., an estimated population of 155,027 as of July 1, 2019. Edward Rutledge of South Carolina was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence at age 26. South Carolina had an estimated population of 5,148,714 as of July 1, 2019.

Source: Vintage 2019 Population Estimates

$368.6 million

The value of fireworks sales by establishments classified as NAICS 453998, all other miscellaneous store retailers (except tobacco stores) in 2012. Source: 2012 Economic Census, Table EC1244SLLS1, NAICS 453998

Patriotic Places