Community Corner

Indepence Day by the Numbers

The U.S. Census Bureau shares information ranging from estimated population in July 1776 to popular Fourth of July foods.

On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation.

  • 2.5 million — In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation.
  • 313.9 million — The nation’s estimated population on this Fourth of July.
  • $3.6 million — In 2011, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags. The vast majority of this amount — $3.3 million — was for U.S. flags made in China.
  • $663,071 — Dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2011. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $80,349 worth.
  • $302.7 million — Dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners and similar emblems by the nation’s manufacturers in 2007, according to the latest published economic census statistics. 
  • $223.6 million — The value of fireworks imported from China in 2011, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported — $232.5 million. U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $15.8 million in 2011, with Australia purchasing more than any other country at $4.5 million.
  • $231.8 million — The value of U.S. manufacturers’ shipments of fireworks and pyrotechnics, including flares, igniters, etc., in 2007.
  • 31 — The number of places that have “liberty” in their names. The most populous one as of April 1, 2010, was Liberty, Mo., pop. 29,149. Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.
  • 35 — The number of places that have “eagle” in their names. The most populous one is Eagle Pass, Texas, pop. 26,248.
  • 11 — The number of places that have “independence” in their names. The most populous one is Independence, Mo., pop. 116,830.
  • 9 — The number of places that have “freedom” in their names. The most populous one is New Freedom, Pa., pop. 4,464. 
  • $107.1 billion — Dollar value of trade last year between the United States and the United Kingdom, making the British, our adversary in 1776, our sixth-leading trading partner today.
  • Almost 1 in 3 — The chance that the hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on the Fourth of July originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye State was home to 19.7 million hogs and pigs March 1, 2012. This estimate represents almost one-third of the nation’s estimated total. North Carolina with 8.6 million and Minnesota with 7.6 million were also homes to large numbers of pigs. 
  • 7.2 billion pounds — Total production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2011. Chances are good that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on the backyard grill came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for about one-sixth of the nation’s total production. And if the beef did not come from Texas, it very well may have come from Nebraska, which produces 4.6 billion pounds or Kansas with 4 billion pounds.
  • 6 — The number of states in which the value of broiler chicken production was estimated at $1 billion or greater between December 2010 and November 2011. There is a good chance that one of these states — Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi or Texas — is the source of your barbecued chicken.

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