Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.

SCORE

GRADE

FIX

REVIEW

PASS

INFO

Checks

1 PASS 6 REVIEW 6 FIX

Landmark Structure

Action

10 landmarks

FIX

10 landmarks

No <main> landmark found

Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.

6 <nav> landmark(s) found

6 of 6 <nav> elements are unlabeled

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it

Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.

Why this matters

Without a <main> landmark, screen-reader users can't skip past the navigation to the page content — every page starts with re-reading the menu.

Learn more ▾

The <main> element marks the page's primary content area. Assistive tech offers a 'jump to main' shortcut — but only if <main> exists. Without it, every page navigation forces re-reading the header. Wrap your primary content in a single <main>.

Source: WAI-ARIA / WCAG 2.4.1

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Why this matters

Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.

Learn more ▾

When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.

Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

Alt Text Quality

Action

4 of 11 images have issues

FIX

4 of 11 images have issues

4 image(s) missing alt attribute

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.

1 image-in-link without alt text

An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.

2 decorative image(s) correctly marked

5 image(s) with good alt text

11 images 5 good alt text 2 decorative 4 missing

Issue	Count
missing	4 image(s)

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.

Why this matters

Each image without alt text is a WCAG 1.1.1 failure — invisible to screen-reader users, lost from Google Image Search.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.1 Level A requires text alternatives for non-decorative images. Empty alt='' is fine for decorative; meaningful images need descriptive text. Common fixes: CMS audit + bulk add, build-time linter (alt-text-required ESLint rule), CI gate on Lighthouse a11y score.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.1.1 / WebAIM Million Report

An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.

Why this matters

Image-only links with no alt create empty links — screen-reader users hear 'link' with no destination context.

Learn more ▾

An <a><img></a> with no img alt is the worst-case for accessibility: AT announces the link but can't describe where it goes. Either add alt to the image OR add aria-label to the link.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

Link & Button Quality

Action

5 issue(s) across 268 links and 21 buttons

FIX

5 issue(s) across 268 links and 21 buttons

3 link(s) with no accessible text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

Got: a.uscb-color-primary (#140 on page); a (#646 on page); a (#874 on page)

2 link(s) with generic text

Generic link text like 'click here' doesn't describe the destination.

Got: /about-us ("Learn More"); /about-us ("Learn More")

1 image-only link(s) without alt text

Image-only links need alt text on the image (or aria-label on the link) so screen readers can announce them.

Got: a[href="/newsroom/press-releases/2026/2025-popest-metro-micro-counties.html"]

5 link(s) open in new tab without warning

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

Got: https://www.facebook.com/uscensusbureau; http://x.com/uscensusbureau; https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-census-bureau; https://www.youtube.com/user/uscensusbureau; https://www.instagram.com/uscensusbureau

257 link(s) with descriptive text

268 links

3 empty

2 generic text

5 new tab

0 empty buttons

Element	Text	Issue	Suggested Fix
	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
/about-us	Learn More	generic text	Replace with descriptive text
Before: Learn More Suggested: About Us
/about-us	Learn More	generic text	Replace with descriptive text
Before: Learn More Suggested: About Us
/newsroom/press-releases/2026/2025-popes…	Slow Growth Impacts Nation’s…	img no alt	Add alt attribute to the image
	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
https://www.facebook.com/uscensusbureau	Facebook	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
http://x.com/uscensusbureau	X (Twitter)	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-cens…	Linkedln	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.youtube.com/user/uscensusbur…	YouTube	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.instagram.com/uscensusbureau	Instagram	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text

278 links and buttons have descriptive text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

a.uscb-color-primary (#140 on page); a (#646 on page); a (#874 on page)

Why this matters

Links with no accessible text (empty <a></a>, image-only no alt, icon-only no aria-label) are unidentifiable to screen readers.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

Generic link text like 'click here' doesn't describe the destination.

/about-us ("Learn More"); /about-us ("Learn More")

Why this matters

Generic anchor text ('click here', 'read more', 'learn more') tells screen readers and search engines nothing about the destination.

Learn more ▾

Out-of-context lists of links read by AT (one navigation pattern) become useless when every link says 'click here'. Use the destination's title or topic as anchor text. Doubles as SEO win — Google passes anchor-text relevance to the destination.

Source: WCAG 2.4.4 / Google Search Central

Image-only links need alt text on the image (or aria-label on the link) so screen readers can announce them.

a[href="/newsroom/press-releases/2026/2025-popest-metro-micro-counties.html"]

Why this matters

Image-only links with no alt are unidentifiable to screen-reader users — link's destination is invisible.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

https://www.facebook.com/uscensusbureau; http://x.com/uscensusbureau; https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-census-bureau; https://www.youtube.com/user/uscensusbureau; https://www.instagram.com/uscensusbureau

Why this matters

Links with target="_blank" without rel="noopener" leak the originating page's window context — security and UX issue.

Learn more ▾

Without rel="noopener", the new tab can navigate the original tab via window.opener (tab-nabbing attack). Modern browsers default to noopener for target=_blank but only since recent versions. Always set rel="noopener noreferrer" explicitly.

Source: MDN target / OWASP

Web Manifest

Action

Not found

FIX

Not found

No web manifest found

No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

Dark Mode Support

Action

No dark mode signals

FIX

No dark mode signals

No dark mode signals detected

Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles

External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.

Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected

color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

Navigation UX

Action

No navigation patterns

FIX

No navigation patterns

6 navigation landmark(s) detected

Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)

No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected

These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.

Breadcrumbs

Skip Link

Labeled Navigation 6 <nav> element(s)

Hamburger Menu

Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)

2 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.

Heading Hierarchy

13 headings

REVIEW

13 headings

No H1 heading found

Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.

H2 Quick Links
H2 Slow Growth Impacts Nation’s Largest Counties Hardest
H2 Slow Growth Impacts Nation’s Largest Counties Hardest
H2 Need help with a survey?
H2 Need data quickly?
H2 Looking to Dive Deeper into Census Bureau Data?
H2 Population Clock
H2 U.S. Economic Indicators
H2 Recent updates, news, events and more.
H2 America Counts: Stories Behind The Numbers
H2 Events
H3 The Month Ahead
H3 Tuesday — April 21, 2026

Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.

Why this matters

No H1 means screen-reader users can't identify the page's primary topic, and Google's content-extraction degrades.

Learn more ▾

The H1 is the document title for assistive tech and a strong signal to search engines about page topic. Pages without one force screen readers to fall back to the <title> attribute or page chrome. Add a single H1 that names the page's primary subject.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

Form Accessibility

2 of 4 controls have issues

REVIEW

2 of 4 controls have issues

1 control(s) without accessible label

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

Got: <input type="submit" id="RatingToolSubmit">

1 control(s) rely on placeholder only

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

Got: <textarea name="message" id="RatingTool_textarea">

2 control(s) properly labeled

4 controls

2 labeled

1 placeholder only

1 unlabeled

Control	Type	Label	Method
#data-uscb-header-input	text	Search	aria-label
#email	email	Enter your email address	aria-label
#RatingTool_textarea	textarea	(Tell us more.)	placeholder only
#RatingToolSubmit	submit	(none)	none

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

Why this matters

Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

Why this matters

Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.

Learn more ▾

Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman

404 Error Page

HTTP 404, custom page

REVIEW

HTTP 404, custom page

Correct 404 status code returned

Got: HTTP 404

Custom styled 404 page

Navigation links present on 404 page

404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page

Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title U.S. Census Bureau: Page not found ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✗

Favicon & Branding

5 icon(s) detected

REVIEW

5 icon(s) detected

favicon.ico present at site root

HTML icon links detected

Apple touch icon present

Multiple icon sizes detected

✓ favicon.ico Present

✓ PNG Icons Present

✓ Apple Touch Present

✗ SVG Favicon Missing

✗ Manifest Icons Missing

✓ Multiple Sizes Present

Color Contrast (Screenshot)

Action

20 text elements analyzed, 1 fail WCAG AA

REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

19 pass 1 fail WCAG AA

strong .gov

2.44:1

#000000

#454D53

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

16px · above the fold

Show all checked elements (20)

Element	Ratio	Required	FG	BG	Result
h2 Quick Links	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 Slow Growth Impacts …	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 Slow Growth Impacts …	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 Need help with a sur…	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 Need data quickly?	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 Looking to Dive Deep…	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 Population Clock	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 U.S. Economic Indica…	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 Recent updates, news…	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 America Counts: Stor…	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h2 Events	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
h3 The Month Ahead	11.59:1	3.0:1	#333333	#F5F5F5	Pass
h3 Tuesday — April 21…	19.26:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F5F5F5	Pass
title Census.gov \| U.S. Ce…	18.43:1	4.5:1	#000000	#F0F0F0	Pass
div United States Census…	19.43:1	4.5:1	#000000	#F6F6F6	Pass
p An official website …	21.00:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
p Here’s how you kno…	21.00:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
span Here’s how you kno…	21.00:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
strong Official websites us…	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
strong .gov	2.44:1	3.0:1	#000000	#454D53	Fail

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

Lighthouse Accessibility Audits

Score 84/100 — 6 failing, 23 passed

REVIEW

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Names and labels

Screen reader users rely on frame titles to describe the contents of frames. Learn more about frame titles.

Why this matters