Compared to 1940census, this is a much more useful tool, with the ability to search by name. I wish the same feature set were applied to prior censuses!
FamilySearch is a free site that allows for searching. I think it requires sign-up, though.
I should also mention, for people who are interested in genealogy and family history, that your local library may have subscriptions to resources like Ancestry (there is a tier called Ancestry Library Edition). I have never paid for Ancestry since it has been available at local and university libraries.
Because the 1950 census has just been released, those records are still being indexed and are not searchable yet [0]. I’m not sure if they release records as they are indexed, so it’s possible that it is partially searchable now.
But yes, the service is completely free provided you register an account. After that all the previous census records (and many many more) are searchable. Anyone is welcome to help index!
While a lot of people here celebrate this, I find it extremely concerning that the census is mandatory on the basis that the answers are private only to have that private information made public down the line.
Readit News
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30878055
https://1950census.archives.gov/search/?county=Scranton%2C%2...
Kurt Gödel’s age seems to be off by ten years:
https://1950census.archives.gov/search/?name=Godel&page=1&st...
Albert Einstein’s age is correct:
https://1950census.archives.gov/search/?county=Mercer&ed=11-...
Deleted Comment
I should also mention, for people who are interested in genealogy and family history, that your local library may have subscriptions to resources like Ancestry (there is a tier called Ancestry Library Edition). I have never paid for Ancestry since it has been available at local and university libraries.
But yes, the service is completely free provided you register an account. After that all the previous census records (and many many more) are searchable. Anyone is welcome to help index!
[0]: https://www.familysearch.org/1950census/
The excuse "70 years later most people are dead" is wrong in the case of Jo Biden: https://1950census.archives.gov/search/?county=Scranton%2C%2...