Population Mark Underscores Change, Diversity
Closing In: Yailin Melissa Turcios, just 20 minutes old, is in the arms of midwife, Joni McCann, as mother Rosa Turcios talks to relatives on the phone in South Florida Monday.
On Tuesday morning, America's population is predicted to hit 300 million. Who are we?
Increasingly we are: a single mom; a centenarian; an immigrant from Mexico; an Asian business owner; a baby boomer; someone named Jacob or Emily. Decreasingly, we are a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant; a Northeasterner; someone from a large family; someone surrounded by waving wheat and open space.
America at 300 Million: Breaking Down the Numbers
An Informal Poll
Estimates on how many people live in the United States vary widely on the National Mall.
In 1790, the U.S. population was just shy of 4 million people. By 1915, the population had reached 100 million.
Immigration, the post-war baby boom, longer life expectancies and better medical care doubled the population by 1967. Just 33 years later, we've reached a new milestone: 300 million.
Here are just a few glimpses into American life at 100, 200, and 300 million people.
Price of a new home
2006: $290,600
1967: $24,600 ($149,147 in 2006 dollars)
1915: $3,200 ($64,158 in 2006 dollars)
Cost for a gallon of regular gas
2006: $3.04 (as of Aug. 7)
1967: 33 cents ($2 in 2006 dollars)
1915: 25 cents ($5.01 in 2006 dollars)
Price of milk
2006: $3 gallon
1967: $1.03 gallon ($6.24 in 2006 dollars)
1915: $ .36 gallon ($7.22 in 2006 dollars)
Cost of a first-class stamp
2006: 39 cents
1967: 5 cents
1915: 2 cents
Number of foreign-born people
2006: 34.3 million
1967: 9.7 million
1915: 13.5 million
Average Household Size
2006: 2.6 people
1967: 3.3 people
1915: 4.5 people
World Population
2006: 6.5 billion
1967: 3.5 billion
1915: 1.8 billion
Tuberculosis Death (per 100,000 population)
2006: 0.2
1967: 3.5
1915: 140.1
Number of people age 65 and older
2006: 36.8 million
1967: 19.1 million
1915: 4.5 million
Median age of the population
2006: 36.2
1967: 29.5
1915: 24.1
Most popular baby names for boys and girls, respectively
2006: Jacob and Emily
1967: Michael and Lisa
1915: John and Mary
Courtesy: U.S. Census Bureau
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