Searching 1950 and Later U.S. Census Records

Searching 1950 and Later U.S. Census Records

The U.S. federal decennial census records are released to the public 72 years after the census was taken. So the 1950 census will be available in 2022. You can have the Census Bureau search the 1950 and later censuses for a fee. There are restrictions and requirements:

"The Census Bureau provides an 'age search' service to the public: We will search the confidential records from the Federal population censuses of 1910 to 2000 and issue an official transcript of the results (for a congressionally mandated fee). NOTE: Information can be released only to the named person, his/her heirs, or legal representatives." (Quoted from the Census Bureau's website.) For more information see:

U.S. Census Bureau Age Search Service

Be sure to note the details, fee, restrictions and requirements listed there. The fee is presently $65 "for a search of one census for one person only" - the fee is subject to change.

May be helpful...
Ancestry.com's 1950 Census Substitute (requires subscription payment) includes city directories from the mid-1940s to the 1950s

The official census day for the 1950 to 2010 censuses was April 1. For census enumeration days 1790-1940 see:
Census Records 1790-1940 - Clues and Research Tips

Census Records - 1940 and Before

For information about the recently released 1940 census see:
1940 Census Records

For some help with census records before 1940 see:
US Census Records - The Basics - a simple guide for researching in census records 1790-1940