Beyond the headlines and stereotypes lies a nation of 331 million, a tapestry woven from strikingly diverse threads of age, origin, and experience, as revealed by the latest data.
Key Takeaways
- The United States population as of the 2020 Census was 331,449,281 people.
- In 2023, the median age in the United States was 38.9 years.
- As of 2022, 59.4% of the US population identified as White alone, not Hispanic or Latino.
- The US GDP in 2023 was $27.36 trillion nominal.
- US GDP growth rate was 2.5% in 2023.
- Unemployment rate averaged 3.6% in 2023.
- Life expectancy at birth was 77.5 years in 2022.
- Obesity prevalence among adults was 41.9% in 2022.
- Diabetes affected 11.6% of the US population in 2021.
- High school graduation rate was 86% in 2021-22.
- Bachelor's degree attainment for 25-34 year olds was 40% in 2023.
- Student-teacher ratio in public elementary schools was 15:1 in 2022.
- Violent crime rate was 363.8 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Murder rate was 6.3 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Property crime rate was 1,954.4 per 100,000 in 2022.
America is a large, diverse, and aging nation with a complex economy and significant social challenges.
Crime and Justice
- Violent crime rate was 363.8 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Murder rate was 6.3 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Property crime rate was 1,954.4 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Aggravated assault rate: 268.7 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Robbery rate: 66.4 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Burglary rate: 269.8 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Larceny-theft rate: 1,401.9 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Motor vehicle thefts increased 13% to 1,006,139 in 2023.
- Prison population was 1,230,100 at year-end 2022.
- Incarceration rate was 531 per 100,000 adults in 2022.
- Probation population: 3,141,100 in 2022.
- Parole population: 870,500 in 2022.
- Police officers: 720,652 full-time sworn in 2022.
- Human trafficking reports: 10,359 cases in 2022 (NCMEC).
- Cybercrime complaints: 880,418 to IC3 in 2023.
- Identity theft complaints: 393,354 in 2023.
- Drug possession arrests: 590,000 in 2022.
- Firearm-related homicides: 20,138 in 2022.
- Mass shootings: 656 in 2023 (Gun Violence Archive).
- Hate crimes: 11,634 reported in 2022.
- Domestic violence incidents: 1 million+ victims annually per CDC.
- Child abuse victims: 558,899 in 2022.
- Elder abuse reports: 2,621 per day per Adult Protective Services.
- Federal arrests: 138,965 in FY 2023.
- Recidivism rate: 83% rearrested within 9 years (BJS).
- Clearance rate for murders: 52.3% in 2022.
- Juvenile arrests: 205,000 in 2021.
- White-collar crime losses: $300-800 billion annually (FBI).
Crime and Justice Interpretation
America presents a grim paradox: a nation spending billions to cage a recidivist population, while its streets, homes, and computer screens hum with a prolific industry of crime that its justice system seems perpetually outmatched to contain.
Demographics
- The United States population as of the 2020 Census was 331,449,281 people.
- In 2023, the median age in the United States was 38.9 years.
- As of 2022, 59.4% of the US population identified as White alone, not Hispanic or Latino.
- In 2022, 19.1% of the US population was Hispanic or Latino.
- Black or African American alone made up 13.6% of the US population in 2022.
- Asian Americans comprised 6.3% of the US population in 2022.
- In 2023, the US fertility rate was 1.62 births per woman.
- The US net migration rate in 2023 was 2.95 migrants per 1,000 population.
- Urban population in the US was 82.9% as of 2023.
- In 2022, there were 128.5 million households in the US.
- Average household size in the US was 2.5 persons in 2022.
- Foreign-born persons made up 13.9% of the US population in 2022.
- In 2023, the US population density was 36 people per square kilometer.
- Veterans numbered 16.2 million in the US civilian population aged 18+ in 2022.
- In 2022, 7.2% of the US population was aged 75 and over.
- Children under 18 made up 21.7% of the US population in 2022.
- Working-age population (15-64) was 65.2% in 2023.
- In 2022, 10.6% of Americans spoke a language other than English at home.
- Spanish speakers at home were 8.0% of the population in 2022.
- Married couples headed 47.8% of US households in 2022.
- Single-person households were 27.6% in 2022.
- Homeownership rate was 65.7% in 2022.
- In 2023, life expectancy at birth was 79.11 years for females and 73.5 for males.
- Infant mortality rate was 5.44 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022.
- In 2022, the US had 1.8 million active-duty military personnel.
- Women made up 17.5% of the US active-duty military in 2023.
- In 2022, 34.3% of Americans aged 25+ had a bachelor's degree or higher.
- High school diploma or equivalency was held by 89.7% of those 25+ in 2022.
- Poverty rate was 11.5% in 2022.
- In 2022, 37.9 million Americans lived in poverty.
Demographics Interpretation
Though statistically middle-aged, majority white, and largely urban, America’s story is increasingly written in the margins, where a falling birthrate, a rising immigrant influence, and a persistent gap between education and poverty hint at a national identity in the midst of a messy but vital recalculation.
Economy
- The US GDP in 2023 was $27.36 trillion nominal.
- US GDP growth rate was 2.5% in 2023.
- Unemployment rate averaged 3.6% in 2023.
- Inflation rate (CPI) was 3.4% in 2023.
- Median household income was $74,580 in 2022.
- Labor force participation rate was 62.6% in 2023.
- US public debt was 122.5% of GDP in 2023.
- Federal budget deficit was $1.7 trillion in FY 2023.
- Top 1% income share was 20.1% in 2022.
- Corporate profits after tax were $2.8 trillion in 2023.
- US exports of goods and services were $3.05 trillion in 2023.
- Imports totaled $3.83 trillion in 2023.
- Trade deficit was $773 billion in 2023.
- Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 37,689.54 on Dec 29, 2023.
- S&P 500 index returned 24.2% in 2023.
- Housing starts were 1.41 million units in 2023.
- Retail sales grew 3.7% in 2023.
- Manufacturing PMI averaged 47.0 in 2023 (ISM).
- Productivity growth was 1.3% in 2023.
- Average hourly earnings rose 4.1% in 2023.
- Federal funds rate averaged 5.02% in 2023.
- Consumer credit outstanding was $5.08 trillion in Q4 2023.
- Household net worth increased to $156.2 trillion in Q3 2023.
- Small business optimism index averaged 101.2 in 2023 (NFIB).
- Venture capital investment was $170 billion in 2023.
- US oil production hit 13.3 million barrels per day in 2023.
- Natural gas production was 103.7 Bcf/d in 2023.
- Renewable energy share of electricity was 22% in 2023.
- CEO-to-worker pay ratio averaged 272:1 in 2022.
- Minimum wage was $7.25 federally in 2023, unchanged.
- Gig economy workers numbered 59 million in 2023.
- Bankruptcy filings totaled 417,004 in 2023.
Economy Interpretation
Despite an engine of growth producing a $27 trillion economy with record stock gains and wages finally outpacing inflation, the party is being thrown on an increasingly rickety floor of soaring debt, a stubborn trade gap, and a system where the top 1% earns over a fifth of the income while the federal minimum wage hasn't budged since the era of flip phones.
Education
- High school graduation rate was 86% in 2021-22.
- Bachelor's degree attainment for 25-34 year olds was 40% in 2023.
- Student-teacher ratio in public elementary schools was 15:1 in 2022.
- Public K-12 enrollment was 49.6 million in 2022-23.
- College enrollment totaled 15.4 million in fall 2023.
- Average public school funding per pupil was $15,424 in 2022.
- NAEP math score for 8th graders was 282 in 2022.
- NAEP reading score for 8th graders was 259 in 2022.
- Student loan debt totaled $1.61 trillion in Q4 2023.
- Average student loan debt per borrower was $38,290 in 2023.
- Pell Grant recipients were 6.4 million in 2022-23.
- Charter school enrollment was 3.7 million in 2022-23.
- Homeschooling families increased to 3.7 million students in 2022.
- Adult literacy rate was 79% at proficient level in 2023.
- STEM bachelor's degrees awarded: 226,000 in 2021-22.
- Teachers with master's degree or higher: 59% in public schools 2022.
- Dropout rate for 16-24 year olds was 5.3% in 2022.
- AP exam participation: 2.8 million in 2023.
- Community college enrollment: 5.6 million in 2022.
- Average tuition at public 4-year colleges: $10,662 in-state 2023-24.
- Private nonprofit 4-year tuition averaged $39,400 in 2023-24.
- Graduation rate at 4-year colleges: 63% within 6 years.
- Education spending as % of GDP was 6.1% in 2021.
- Early childhood enrollment (3-5 yrs): 59% in 2022.
- Special education students: 7.5 million or 15% of public school enrollment 2022.
- English learners: 4.9 million or 10% in public schools 2022.
- Bullying victimization rate: 19.2% of students 12-18 in 2021-22.
Education Interpretation
Despite impressive per-pupil investment and teacher qualifications, America’s education system resembles a high-stakes conveyor belt where 86% start the ride, only 40% collect the promised premium degree at the other end, often saddled with life-altering debt, while troubling proficiency gaps and dropout rates persist like stubborn, ungraded homework.
Health
- Life expectancy at birth was 77.5 years in 2022.
- Obesity prevalence among adults was 41.9% in 2022.
- Diabetes affected 11.6% of the US population in 2021.
- Heart disease was the leading cause of death, 695,000 deaths in 2022.
- Cancer caused 609,820 deaths in 2022.
- COVID-19 deaths totaled 75,313 in 2023.
- Uninsured rate was 7.7% or 25.3 million in 2023.
- Average health insurance premium for family coverage was $23,968 in 2023.
- Opioid overdose deaths were 81,806 in 2022.
- Smoking prevalence among adults was 11.6% in 2022.
- Alcohol use disorder affected 29.5 million people aged 12+ in 2022.
- Mental illness prevalence was 22.8% among adults in 2022.
- Suicide rate was 14.2 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Hospitalizations totaled 36.7 million in 2022.
- Physicians per 1,000 people was 2.6 in 2022.
- National health expenditure was $4.5 trillion in 2022.
- Medicare spending was $944.3 billion in 2022.
- Medicaid enrollment was 80 million in FY 2023.
- Vaccination rate for flu among adults was 52.5% in 2022-23 season.
- Maternal mortality rate was 22.3 per 100,000 live births in 2022.
- Child vaccination rate for MMR was 92.7% in 2022-23.
- Alzheimer's prevalence among 65+ was 11% in 2023.
- HIV diagnoses were 36,547 in 2022.
- Average wait time for emergency room was 2.3 hours in 2022.
- Organ transplants performed: 46,632 in 2023.
- Cancer survival rate (5-year) for all cancers was 68.7% in recent data.
- Depression prevalence was 18.4% of adults in 2022.
Health Interpretation
Despite having the world’s most expensive medical system, America seems to be expertly treating the symptoms of its own lifestyle while the underlying patient remains profoundly unwell.
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