Consider this chart from Gauthier’s study:
YEAR POPULATION CENSUS COST
1790 3,929,214 $44,377
1800 5,308,483 $66,109
1810 7,239,881 $178,445
1820 9,633,822 $208,526
1830 12,866,020 $378,545
1840 17,069,458 $ 833,371
1850 23,191,876 $1,423,351
1860 31,443,321 $1,969,377
1870 38,558,371 $3,421,198
1880 50,155,783 $5,790,678
1890 62,979,766 $11,547,127
1900 76,303,387 $11,854,000
1910 91,972,266 $15,968,000
1920 105,710,620 $25,117,000
1930 122,775,046 $40,156,000
1940 131,669,275 $67,527,000
1950 151,325,798 $91,462,000
1960 179,323,175 $127,934,000
1970 203,302,031 $247,653,000
1980 226,542,199 $1,078,488,000
1990 248,718,301 $2,492,830,000
2000 281,421,906 $4,500,000,000
2010 308,983,000* $14,500,000,000*
*2010 estimates are the GAO’s own best guesses. For more information, visit its site here.
Now let’s add three more columns, (1) the average cost per person counted along with (2) the year-on-year rate of growth of the population and (3) the year-on-year rate of increases in the census costs. That chart looks like this:
YEAR POPULATION COST OF CENSUS CENSUS COST PER PERSON RATE OF YEARLY POP. GROWTH RATE OF YEARLY COST GROWTH
1790 3,929,214 $44,377 1.13 cents N/A N/A
1800 5,308,483 $66,109 1.24 cents 35.10% 48.97%
1810 7,239,881 $178,445 2.46 cents 36.38% 169.93%
1820 9,633,822 $208,526 2.16 cents 33.07% 16.86%
1830 12,866,020 $378,545 2.94 cents 33.55% 81.53%
1840 17,069,4 $ 833,371 4.88 cents 32.67% 120.15%
1850 23,1976 $1,423,351 6.14 cents 35.87% 70.79%
1860 31,443,321 $1,969,377 6.26 cents 35.58% 38.36%
1870 38,558,371 $3,421,198 8.87 cents 22.63% 73.72%
1880 50,155,783 $5,790,678 11.54 cents 30.08% 69.26%
1890 62,979,766 $11,547,127 18.33 cents 25.57% 99.41%
1900 76,303,387 $11,854,000 15.54 cents 21.16% 2.66%
1910 91,972,266 $15,968,000 17.07 cents 20.53% 34.71%
1920 105,710,620 $25,117,000 23.76 cents 14.94% 57.30%
1930 122,775,046 $40,156,000 32.71 cents 16.14% 59.88%
1940 131,669,275 $67,527,000 51.29 cents 7.24% 68.13%
1950 151,325,798 $91,462,000 60.44 cents 14.93% 35.45%
1960 179,323,175 $127,934,000 71.34 cents 18.50% 39.88%
1970 203,302,031 $247,653,000 $1.22 13.37% 93.58%
1980 226,542,199 $1,078,488,000 $4.76 11.43% 335.48%
1990 248,718,301 $2,492,830,000 $10.02 9.79% 131.14%
2000 281,421,906 $4,500,000,000 $15.99 13.15% 80.52%
2010 308,983,000* $14,500,000,000* $46.93* 9.79%* 222.22%*
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