On December 15, the Census Bureau released its 2020 Demographic Analysis, which provides a range of estimates for the nation’s population as of April 1, 2020. Instead of collecting responses from households like the 2020 Census, Demographic Analysis uses current and historical vital statistics records and other data (specifically birth and death records, data on international migration, and Medicare records) to estimate the size of the U.S. population.
By releasing these estimates ahead of the first results from the 2020 Census, Demographic Analysis offers an independent measure of the population for comparison with the official census counts. The estimates are also one of two methods used to measure coverage in the decennial census and to provide insight into what population groups may have been undercounted or overcounted.
In addition to the estimates of the total population for the nation, 2020 Demographic Analysis also provides national-level estimates of the U.S. population by age, sex, and broad race and Hispanic origin groups. The complete tables can be found at the 2020 Demographic Analysis home page.
The Census Project 