Community Profiles & Demographic Data

• The Decennial Census has been conducted in years ending in “0” since 1970, as required by the U.S. Constitution. The Census counts the population in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. This information helps allocate federal funding for communities and services such as hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, etc. , determines the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.
• The American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates are released annually for areas with a population of 65,000 or more.  These are not decennial census results; they are based on survey data collected in a calendar year.  These data describe the social, economic and housing characteristics of the population.
• The American Community Survey 5-Year Data is an ongoing survey that provides data every year. The 5-year estimates are “period” estimates that represent data collected over a period of time. These are not decennial census results; they are based on survey data collected over five calendar years.
• The primary advantage of using multiyear estimates is the increased statistical reliability of the data for less populated areas and small population subgroups. Estimates are available for the smallest geographic areas as geographies do not have to meet a particular population threshold in order to be published.
• View the 2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer or view all U.S. Census Bureau data at data.census.gov.

New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives Data Available:

• Annual population estimates are released for New Hampshire cities and towns by the New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives.
• Population projections were released for New Hampshire cities and towns by the New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives. These projections are the second iteration based on the 2010 U.S. Census, with updated inputs of vital records information, migration data, and New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives’ population estimates. The most recent projections were published in September 2016.