The Census Bureau keeps track of how many people speak Gaelic, how many employees the greeting card industry has and how many houses have wood-burning stoves. Researchers, administrators and anyone with a basic knowledge of statistics can see how America has changed over the years for better or worse.
Census Bureau data are why we know that the wage gap for women’s wages has narrowed from about 60 cents for every dollar a man earned in Washington state in 1960 to 77 cents in 2016. The data have prompted legislative action and policy changes. ...