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This chapter is all about you.
In this chapter you will find information about American citizens expressed
in stories, maps, and data. The number of maps presented here is likely
to grow faster than any other part of the National Atlas. Some of our
maps simply report the current state of the population, crime, human health,
our economy, and energy use. Others reflect the shifting patterns
of American demographics. For example, in the Map Maker you can easily
make a map showing the counties in which the ratio
of males to females is higher. Or you can compare the information
on this map to similar maps published ten and twenty years ago and note
the changes. You will also find links from the mapped information back
to the organizations that collect geographic statistical information for
more facts and figures like the ones below. The median age of the U.S. population continued to rise, from 35.3 years
on April 1, 2000, to 35.9 years on July 1, 2003.
Real median household income remained unchanged between 2002 and 2003
at a level of $43,318, following two consecutive years of decline. Black
households had the lowest median income. Their 2003 median money income
was about $30,000 Of the 100 fastest-growing counties, 60 were located in the South, 20 in the West, 18 in the Midwest and two in the Northeast. With an overall 20 percent growth rate, the West grew more rapidly than any other region. The South was the second fastest growing region, increasing 17 percent. The Midwest and the Northeast grew almost 8 percent and 6 percent, respectively. The 76.6 million students in 2000 included 5.0 million enrolled in nursery school, 4.2 million in kindergarten, 33.7 million in elementary school, 16.4 million in high school, 14.4 million in college and 3.1 million in graduate school. In April 2000, 5.2 million first-through-twelfth graders attended private schools, or 10.4 percent of students in those grades. Among the 128.3 million workers in the United States in 2000, 76 percent drove alone to work. In addition, 12 percent carpooled, 4.7 percent used public transportation, 3.3 percent worked at home, 2.9 percent walked to work, and 1.2 percent used other means (including motorcycle or bicycle). In 2000, there were 208.1 million civilians 18 years old and older. Almost 26.4 million of these people, or 12.7 percent, were veterans. In 1980, 28.5 million veterans lived in the United States, but the number declined to 27.5 million in 1990. Overall, the population under 18 grew by 13 percent, from 63.6 million in 1990 to 72.1 million in 2000. Children under 18 represented 26 percent of the population in households in 2000. Ninety percent (64.7 million) of children in the United States were sons or daughters of the householder in 2000. Among children, 59.8 million (83 percent) were biological sons and daughters of the householder, 3.3 million were stepchildren, and 1.6 million were adopted children. There were 49.7 million people with some type of long-lasting condition or disability living in the United States in 2000. This represented 19.3 percent of the 257.2 million civilians aged 5 and over who were not living in prisons, nursing homes, and other institutions, or nearly one person in five. |
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National Atlas of the United States® and The National Atlas of the United States of America® are registered trademarks of the United States Department of the Interior Privacy Statement, Disclaimer, Accessibility, FOIA http://nationalatlas.gov/people.html Last modified: April 29, 2008 15:55 |