population-640.jpg" alt="The 2020 U.S. center of population is located in Hartville, Missouri. This location was determined by data collected from the latest U.S. census.">

For over six decades, the National Geodetic Survey has partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau to calculate the U.S. center of population — the precise location where an imaginary, flat, weightless, and rigid map of the United States would balance perfectly if all Americans were of identical weight. Tune in to the latest episode of the NOAA Ocean podcast to learn about the center of population, and how capturing snapshots of the U.S. population reveals long-term migration patterns and even helps us use maps on our smartphones.

center-population.html">Episode permanent link, transcript, and show notes