1940 United States census

Sixteenth census
of the United States

← 1930 April 1, 1940 (1940-04-01) 1950 →

U.S. Census Bureau seal
Population schedule
General information
CountryUnited States
Results
Total population132,164,569 (Increase 7.6%)
Most populous ​stateNew York
13,479,142
Least populous ​stateNevada
110,247

The 1940 United States census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 132,164,569, an increase of 7.6 percent over the 1930 population of 122,775,046 people. The census date of record was April 1, 1940.

A number of new questions were asked including where people were five years before, highest educational grade achieved, and information about wages. This census introduced sampling techniques; one in 20 people were asked additional questions on the census form. Other innovations included a field test of the census in 1939. This was the first census in which every state (48) had a population greater than 100,000.