The International Database (IDB) contains population estimates and projections and measures of other demographic characteristics of the United States as well as the U.S. Island Areas of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For the United States (consisting of the 50 states and the District of Columbia), the IDB uses official U.S. population estimates and population projections produced by the Estimates and Projections Area of the U.S. Census Bureau. However, due to varying release schedules, U.S. estimates and projections in the IDB may vary slightly from the latest data available. Please reference the above links for the latest estimates and projections of the U.S.

For American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the IDB population estimates and projections methodology uses data from U.S. population and housing censuses as well as other inputs to construct a base population and perform a cohort-component projection. For Puerto Rico, official population estimates are also available from the Census Bureau. These estimates may not match the IDB due to differing methodologies. For years where data are available, we advise using the official population estimates instead of the IDB.

The table below is a helpful guide to preferred sources of population estimates and projections data from the Census Bureau for various U.S. areas. Also shown are data available for these areas from the Decennial Census of Population and Housing and the American Community Survey (ACS). Additional information on censuses and surveys of the Island Areas is available from the Census Bureau’s History site and the 2020 U.S. Island Areas Census site.

The appropriateness of each data source will depend on your analytical objectives.

If you have any questions, please contact the appropriate program area linked above, or send an email to pop.international@census.gov.

Table of Population Data Sources for U.S. Areas

Area	Decennial Census	ACS	Preferred Estimates Source	Preferred Projections Source
United States¹	Yes	Yes	Official U.S. Estimates	Official U.S. Projections
Puerto Rico	Yes	Yes²	Official U.S. Estimates	International Database³
American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands	Yes	No⁴	International Database³	International Database³

^{1. Includes the 50 states and the District of Columbia.}

^{2. Known as the Puerto Rico Community Survey in Puerto Rico.}

^{3. These data have not been updated since 2017 and have not incorporated data from the 2020 Census. Users should consider using 2020 Island Areas Censuses data products or Official U.S. Estimates of Puerto Rico, depending on the years for which they need data.}

^{4. The Decennial Census of the Island Areas collects information on detailed characteristics similar to the ACS.}