According to the 1790 U.S. census, what was the nation's population?

According to the 1790 U.S. census, the nation's population was 3,929,214.

The first federal census was conducted under the direction of Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Marshals and assistants counted residents beginning in August 1790, following the new Constitution's requirement for a decennial population count. The census covered the 13 states, plus districts and territories that were part of the federal system at the time.

The total included 3,172,006 free people and 757,208 enslaved people. It excluded many Indigenous people who were not taxed under the census rules. That limitation means the total was not a complete count of everyone living within the geographic boundaries claimed by the United States.

Virginia had the largest population, with 747,610 people, while Delaware had the smallest state total, with 59,096. The results helped determine representation in the House of Representatives and formed the baseline for later national censuses.