Twenty-first census of the United States
← 1980 April 1, 1990 2000 →
U.S. Census Bureau seal
General information
Country	United States
Results
Total population	248,709,873 ( 9.8%)
Most populous ​state	California 29,760,021
Least populous ​state	Wyoming 453,588

The 1990 United States census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 248,709,873, an increase of 9.8 percent over the 226,545,805 persons enumerated during the 1980 census.^[1]

Approximately 16 percent of households received a "long form" of the 1990 census, which contained more than 100 questions. Full documentation on the 1990 census, including census forms and a procedural history, is available from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.

It was the first census to designate "Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander" as a racial group separate from Asians. The census was also the first census to be directed by a woman, Barbara Everitt Bryant.

To increase black participation in the 1990 United States census, the bureau recruited Bill Cosby, Magic Johnson, Alfre Woodard, and Miss America Debbye Turner as spokespeople.^[2] The Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. Aggregate data for small areas, together with electronic boundary files, can be downloaded from the National Historical Geographic Information System. Personally identifiable information will be available in 2062.^[3]

This was the first census since 1880 in which Chicago was not the second-largest city, having been overtaken by Los Angeles. As of the 2020 census, Los Angeles has remained the nation's second-largest city.

Population and population change in the United States by state

Rank	State	Population as of 1990 census	Population as of 1980 census	Change	Percent change
1	California	29,760,021	23,667,902	6,092,119	25.7%
2	New York	17,990,455	17,558,072	432,383	2.5%
3	Texas	16,986,510	14,229,191	2,757,319	19.4%
4	Florida	12,937,926	9,746,324	3,191,602	32.7%
5	Pennsylvania	11,881,643	11,863,895	17,748	0.2%
6	Illinois	11,430,602	11,426,518	4,084	0.0%
7	Ohio	10,847,115	10,797,630	49,485	0.4%
8	Michigan	9,295,297	9,262,078	33,219	0.4%
9	New Jersey	7,730,188	7,364,823	365,365	5.0%
10	North Carolina	6,628,637	5,881,766	746,871	12.7%
11	Georgia	6,478,216	5,463,105	1,015,111	18.6%
12	Virginia	6,187,358	5,346,818	840,540	15.7%
13	Massachusetts	6,016,425	5,737,037	279,388	4.9%
14	Indiana	5,544,159	5,490,224	53,935	1.0%
15	Missouri	5,117,073	4,916,686	200,387	4.1%
16	Wisconsin	4,891,769	4,705,767	186,002	3.9%
17	Tennessee	4,877,185	4,591,120	286,065	6.2%
18	Washington	4,866,692	4,132,156	734,536	17.8%
19	Maryland	4,781,468	4,216,975	564,493	13.4%
20	Minnesota	4,375,099	4,075,970	299,129	7.3%
21	Louisiana	4,219,973	4,205,900	14,073	0.3%
22	Alabama	4,040,587	3,893,888	146,699	3.8%
23	Kentucky	3,685,296	3,660,777	24,519	0.7%
24	Arizona	3,665,228	2,718,215	947,013	34.8%
25	South Carolina	3,486,703	3,121,820	364,883	11.7%
26	Colorado	3,294,394	2,889,964	404,430	14.0%
27	Connecticut	3,287,116	3,107,576	179,540	5.8%
28	Oklahoma	3,145,585	3,025,290	120,295	4.0%
29	Oregon	2,842,321	2,633,105	209,216	7.9%
30	Iowa	2,776,755	2,913,808	–137,053	–4.7%
31	Mississippi	2,573,216	2,520,638	52,578	2.1%
32	Kansas	2,477,574	2,363,679	113,895	4.8%
33	Arkansas	2,350,725	2,286,435	64,290	2.8%
34	West Virginia	1,793,477	1,949,644	–156,167	–8.0%
35	Utah	1,722,850	1,461,037	261,813	17.9%
36	Nebraska	1,578,385	1,569,825	8,560	0.5%
37	New Mexico	1,515,069	1,302,894	212,175	16.3%
38	Maine	1,227,928	1,124,660	103,268	9.2%
39	Nevada	1,201,833	800,493	401,340	50.1%
40	New Hampshire	1,109,252	920,610	188,642	20.5%
41	Hawaii	1,108,229	964,691	143,538	14.8%
42	Idaho	1,006,749	943,935	62,814	6.7%
43	Rhode Island	1,003,464	947,154	56,310	5.9%
44	Montana	799,065	786,690	12,375	1.6%
45	South Dakota	696,004	690,768	5,236	0.8%
46	Delaware	666,168	594,338	71,830	12.1%
47	North Dakota	638,800	652,717	–13,917	–2.1%
—	District of Columbia	606,900	638,333	–31,433	–4.9%
48	Vermont	562,758	511,456	51,302	10.0%
49	Alaska	550,043	401,851	148,192	36.8%
50	Wyoming	453,588	469,557	–15,969	–3.4%
	United States	248,709,873	226,545,805	22,164,068	9.8%

The results of the 1990 census determined the number of seats that each state receives in the United States House of Representatives starting with the 1992 elections. Consequently, this affected the number of votes each state has in the Electoral College for the 1992 presidential election.

Because of population changes, twenty-one states had changes in their number of seats. Eight states gained at least one seat, and thirteen states lost at least one seat. The final result involved 19 seats being switched.^[4]

New York

Los Angeles

Chicago

Houston

Philadelphia

San Diego

Detroit

Dallas

Phoenix

San Antonio

San Jose

Baltimore

Indianapolis

San Francisco

Jacksonville

Columbus

Milwaukee

Memphis

Washington

Boston

Seattle

El Paso

Cleveland

New Orleans

Nashville

Denver

Austin

Fort Worth

Oklahoma City

San Juan

Portland

Kansas City

Long Beach

Tucson

St. Louis

Charlotte

Atlanta

Virginia Beach

Albuquerque

Oakland

Pittsburgh

Sacramento

Minneapolis

Tulsa

Honolulu

Cincinnati

Miami

Fresno

Omaha

Toledo

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Location of 50 largest cities by population in the United States in 1990

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1990 United States Census.

• U.S. Census Bureau 1990 Census page
• Historic US Census data
• Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1990 Contains 1990 census results
• Booknotes interview with Sam Roberts on Who We Are: A Portrait of America, June 19, 1994.
• 1991 U.S Census Report (contains 1990 census results)