Research Your House – 1940 US Census Records Now Available

The US Census records from 1940 were made public this month. Evidently, each time we fill out a census report, it is kept confidential for 72 years (the average person’s life span) which is comforting due to the personal nature of this information. In just a few minutes searching, I have discovered who lived in my house, what they did for a living, how many children, their full names, their place of birth, their race, how much the property was worth, and if they own or rent the home. Fun fact – my home was worth $7500 in 1940. If my math is correct, that is a 2,000% increase in value over 72 years. Pretty cool, huh?

As a realtor, I find this information helpful in researching properties and neighborhoods. Mister Snodgrass and I learned about the 1940 Census data through local blogger, Tellner Tells It, who discovered that his house was split into apartments at the time of the 1940 census. That kind of information might be valuable in researching and marketing real estate, or even for city permits and zoning. Others might find this a good tool for researching ancestors and genealogy.
Image source: U.S. Census Bureau