Displayed data
Every zoom uses the same WorldPop Global2 R2025A v1 constrained residential population estimate for 2025 at 1 km. The source counts were converted to people per square kilometer and clipped to the declared U.S. coverage without blending, renormalizing, or substituting another population product.
Coverage and meaning
Census 2025 clipped-shoreline state geometry defines coverage for exactly the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Uncovered countries and U.S. territories are neutral map context, not zero-population observations. The metric is residential population per square kilometer. Water/NoData, valid zero land, and populated land remain distinct.
Validation
The WorldPop surface was compared on a reproducible EPSG:6933 1 km grid against Kontur 2023, GHS-POP 2025, adjusted GPWv4 2020, and official Census 2020 national, state, and block evidence. Reported WorldPop population-conservation error is 0.0% at the comparison-grid precision. Kontur remains historical validation evidence rather than displayed data. LandScan and Meta HRSL were omitted from numerical validation after bounded preflight.
Accepted limitations
WorldPop is a modeled alpha release rather than a census count. Its 1 km cells remain the true information limit even when the map enlarges them at close zoom, so streets, neighborhoods, sparse places, and fast-growing areas should not be read as parcel- or block-level estimates. The 2025 model also differs in reference date from official Census 2020 evidence. If the single population archive fails, the neutral or political map remains usable and reports the population layer as unavailable.
Consuming surfaces and deferred scope
General displays this release by default. American Unraveling reuses it unchanged as optional political-map context, off by default and beneath borders, labels, selections, and editing feedback. This release does not provide worldwide population coverage or include U.S. territories. Regional overrides and worldwide processing remain separately gated.