Beneath the iconic skyline of a nation built by immigrants lies a population of over 331 million people, a number that tells only the first chapter in the unfolding story of America's dynamic demographics, economy, and societal health.
Key Takeaways
- United States population is 331,449,281 as per 2020 Census.
- Median age in United States is 38.5 years (2020).
- United States birth rate is 11.9 births/1,000 population (2021 est.).
- US GDP nominal $21.43 trillion (2020 est.).
- US GDP per capita $65,120 (2020 est.).
- US GDP growth rate -3.4% (2020 est.).
- Total land area of US 9,147,593 sq km.
- Total water area 685,924 sq km (US).
- Coastline length 19,924 km (US).
- US life expectancy total population 77.3 years (2019).
- Life expectancy males 74.8 years (2019 US).
- Life expectancy females 80.2 years (2019).
- US high school graduation rate 86% (2019).
- Bachelor's degree or higher 38% adults 25+ (2020).
- Public school enrollment 49.5 million (fall 2019).
The United States has a large, diverse, and aging population with a strong service-based economy.
Demographics
- United States population is 331,449,281 as per 2020 Census.
- Median age in United States is 38.5 years (2020).
- United States birth rate is 11.9 births/1,000 population (2021 est.).
- United States death rate is 8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.).
- Net migration rate to United States is 2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.).
- United States urban population is 82.5% of total population (2021).
- Sex ratio at birth in United States is 1.05 male(s)/female.
- 50.8% of US population is female (2020 census).
- Largest racial group in US is White alone 75.8% (includes Hispanic).
- Hispanic or Latino population in US is 18.7% (2020).
- Black or African American alone 13.4% of US population (2020).
- Asian alone 5.9% of US population (2020 census).
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone 1.3% (2020).
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone 0.2% (2020).
- Two or more races 2.8% of US population (2020).
- Foreign-born persons in US 13.7% (2019).
- US population density 36 people per sq km (2021).
- Life expectancy at birth total 80.3 years (2021 est.).
- Infant mortality rate 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2021).
- Total fertility rate 1.84 children born/woman (2021 est.).
- US population under 60% urbanized historically but now 83%.
- White non-Hispanic 57.8% (2020 census).
- Sex ratio 65+ years 0.73 male/female.
- Dependency ratios youth 27.2 (2020).
Demographics Interpretation
America, a maturing and still diversifying nation of over 331 million, is essentially in a demographic holding pattern—aging, urbanizing, and just barely replacing itself, while immigration gently nudges its growth forward.
Economy
- US GDP nominal $21.43 trillion (2020 est.).
- US GDP per capita $65,120 (2020 est.).
- US GDP growth rate -3.4% (2020 est.).
- Inflation rate in US 1.2% (2020 est.).
- Unemployment rate in US 8.1% (2020 est.).
- US public debt 133.4% of GDP (2020).
- Exports of goods and services $2.53 trillion (2019 est.).
- Imports of goods and services $3.41 trillion (2019 est.).
- Current account balance -$480.2 billion (2019 est.).
- US stock market capitalization $50.8 trillion (2020).
- Labor force in US 164.5 million (2020 est.).
- US corporate tax rate 21% (federal, 2021).
- Average hourly earnings $29.96 (private nonfarm payrolls, May 2021).
- US federal budget deficit $3.1 trillion (FY 2020).
- Household debt $14.96 trillion (Q4 2020).
- US manufacturing output $2.33 trillion (2019).
- Services sector 77% of US GDP (2019).
- Agriculture sector 1.6% of US GDP (2019).
- Industry sector 18.9% of US GDP (2019).
- Top export machinery including computers $207 billion (2019).
- US oil production 18.49 million bbl/day (2018).
- US median household income $68,700 (2019).
- Gini index 41.5 (2016 est. US inequality).
- US reserves $538.3 billion (31 Dec 2020 est.).
- Commercial bank prime lending rate 3.25% (31 Dec 2020).
- US national debt $28.2 trillion (Oct 2021).
Economy Interpretation
America is a fabulously wealthy, service-driven, and deeply indebted economic powerhouse where the stock market soars while the median household merely treads water, all fueled by the world's enduring appetite for our debt and our iPhones.
Education
- US high school graduation rate 86% (2019).
- Bachelor's degree or higher 38% adults 25+ (2020).
- Public school enrollment 49.5 million (fall 2019).
- Student-teacher ratio elementary 15.3:1 (2019).
- College enrollment 19.6 million (fall 2019).
- Education expenditure 5.0% of GDP (2017).
- Literacy rate 99% (age 15+ 2019 est.).
- Unemployment youth 15-24 years 8.6% (2020).
- PISA math score US 478 (2018).
- PISA reading score US 505 (2018).
- PISA science score US 502 (2018).
- US school dropout rate 5.2% (16-24 no diploma, 2019).
- Female literacy 99% (2019 est.).
- Male literacy 99% (2019 est.).
- Median school life expectancy 16 years.
Education Interpretation
Despite near-universal literacy, a respectable high school graduation rate, and significant investment, the United States education system grapples with a sobering chasm between widespread basic competency and the advanced skills needed to compete globally, as reflected in middling PISA scores and a bachelor's degree attainment that lags far behind its own high school completion.
Geography
- Total land area of US 9,147,593 sq km.
- Total water area 685,924 sq km (US).
- Coastline length 19,924 km (US).
- Maritime claims territorial sea 12 nm (US).
- Elevation extremes lowest point Death Valley -86 m.
- Elevation extremes highest point Denali 6,190 m.
- Natural resources coal, copper, lead, etc. (US).
- Land use arable land 16.8% (US 2018 est.).
- Irrigated land 234,000 sq km (US 2017).
- Renewable water resources 1.806 trillion cu m (2017).
- Natural hazards tsunamis, volcanoes, tornadoes (US).
- Environment current issues air pollution, etc. (US).
- Total renewable energy consumption 8% of total (2018).
- US largest city New York 18.8 million metro (2020).
- Second largest Los Angeles 12.2 million (2020).
- Number of islands over 100,000 (US territories).
- Major rivers Mississippi-Missouri 3,960 km.
- Climate mostly temperate, but varies greatly.
- Area comparative slightly larger than China and EU combined.
- Volcanism most recent eruption 2021 Great Sitkin.
- Major urban areas NYC, LA, Chicago (2021).
Geography Interpretation
The United States is a geographic powerhouse with a climate for every mood, a landscape from awe-inspiring to agriculturally abundant, and enough urban sprawl and natural tantrums to remind everyone that bigger isn't always simpler.
Health
- US life expectancy total population 77.3 years (2019).
- Life expectancy males 74.8 years (2019 US).
- Life expectancy females 80.2 years (2019).
- Infant mortality rate 5.6 per 1,000 live births (2019).
- Obesity adult prevalence rate 42.4% (2016).
- Diabetes prevalence 10.5% adults (2018).
- HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate 0.4% (2020 est.).
- Physicians density 2.6 per 1,000 people (2018).
- Hospital beds density 2.9 beds/1,000 people (2017).
- Drinking water source improved 97% (2017 est.).
- Sanitation facility improved 100% (2017 est.).
- Maternal mortality rate 17 deaths/100,000 live births (2017).
- Cancer incidence men 392 per 100,000 (2018).
- Heart disease death rate 165.3 per 100,000 (2019).
- Opioid overdose deaths 21.6 per 100,000 (2020 provisional).
- COVID-19 cases 34 million confirmed (as of Oct 2021).
- COVID-19 deaths 600,000+ (as of Oct 2021).
- Tobacco use 14% adults (2019).
- Alcohol consumption 8.3 liters pure alcohol per capita (2019).
- Suicide rate 16.1 deaths/100,000 (2019).
Health Interpretation
It appears the U.S. has meticulously engineered a society of advanced sanitation and medical access, only to have its life expectancy held hostage by an internal syndicate of cheeseburgers, opioids, and despair.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CENSUScensus.govVisit source
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- Reference 11CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 12COVIDcovid.cdc.govVisit source
- Reference 13WHOwho.intVisit source
- Reference 14NCESnces.ed.govVisit source
- Reference 15DATAdata.oecd.orgVisit source
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- Reference 17FISCALDATAfiscaldata.treasury.govVisit source