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This webpage lists the amount it cost the U.S. government to take the Federal Decennial Census for each of the census years 1790-2010...
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| Census Year | Total Population | Census Cost | Average Cost Per Person |
| 1790 | 3,929,214 | $44,377 | 1.13 cents |
| 1800 | 5,308,483 | $66,109 | 1.24 cents |
| 1810 | 7,239,881 | $178,445 | 2.46 cents |
| 1820 | 9,633,822 | $208,526 | 2.16 cents |
| 1830 | 12,866,020 | $378,545 | 2.94 cents |
| 1840 | 17,069,458 | $833,371 | 4.88 cents |
| 1850 | 23,191,876 | $1,423,351 | 6.14 cents |
| 1860 | 31,443,321 | $1,969,377 | 6.26 cents |
| 1870 | 38,558,371 | $3,421,198 | 8.87 cents |
| 1880 | 50,155,783 | $5,790,678 | 11.54 cents |
| 1890 | 62,979,766 | $11,547,127 | 18.33 cents |
| 1900 | 76,303,387 | $11,854,000 | 15.54 cents |
| 1910 | 91,972,266 | $15,968,000 | 17.07 cents |
| 1920 | 105,710,620 | $25,117,000 | 23.76 cents |
| 1930 | 122,775,046 | $40,156,000 | 32.71 cents |
| 1940 | 131,669,275 | $67,527,000 | 51.29 cents |
| 1950 | 151,325,798 | $91,462,000 | 60.44 cents |
| 1960 | 179,323,175 | $127,934,000 | 71.34 cents |
| 1970 | 203,302,031 | $247,653,000 | $1.22 |
| 1980 | 226,542,199 | $1,078,488,000 | $4.76 |
| 1990 | 248,718,301 | $2,492,830,000 | $10.02 |
| 2000 | 281,421,906 | $4.5 Billion | $15.99 |
| 2010* | 308,745,538 | $13 Billion | $42.11 |
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The 1940 Census
1940 census records were released on April 2, 2012. For details see:
1940 Census Records and Information
The U.S. population reached 300,000,000 on 17 October 2006
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Source (except 2010)...
Gauthier, Jason G., Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses From 1790-2000, (US Bureau of the Census/Dept of Commerce), Washington: US Government Printing Office, 2002, Appendix A, Page A-1.
The numbers in the fourth column are not included in the book and were added by me.
* The 2010 census cost was taken from GAO (U.S. Government Accountability Office) report number GAO-11-496T, 2010 Census: Preliminary Lessons Learned Highlight the Need for Fundamental Reforms (April 6, 2011): "At about $13 billion, 2010 was the costliest U.S. Census in history." The official census day for 2010 was April 1, 2010. The total population figure (308,745,538) was announced by the U.S. Census Bureau on Dec. 21, 2010. See: 2010 Census - Resident Population Data
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