In 1980, the center of population was in Jefferson County just
outside of DeSoto, Missouri, which was 39.5 miles northeast of
the 1990 location.
Following the 1950, 1960 and 1970 censuses, the center of population
was situated in Illinois: St. Clair County southeast of Mascoutah
in 1970, Clinton County northwest of Centralia in 1960 and Richland
County, northwest of Olney in 1950.
O. W. Collins at center of population
for the 1940 census, near Carlisle, Indiana.
Courtesy of Acme.
Credit: Indiana
State Library.
Indiana had the distinction for the previous six decades, from
1890 to 1940. The locales included: Sullivan County near Carlisle
(1940), Greene County near Linton (1930), Owen County southeast
of Spencer (1920), Monroe County near the corner of North Rogers
and West 8th Streets in Bloomington (1910), Bartholomew County
southeast of Columbus (1900) and Decatur County southwest of Greensburg
(1890).
The population center in 1880 was located near Covington, just
north of the present day Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky regional
airport, in Boone County, Kentucky.
Ohio had the centerpieces for two decades: Highland County just
east of Hillsboro in 1870 and Pike County south of Beaver in 1860.
The fulcrum for the nation's balance was centered in what is now
West Virginia from 1820 to 1850. West Virginia became a separate
state in 1863. Until then it was part of Virginia.
Over four decades the center of population moved across West Virginia:
in Wirt County, about 10 miles southeast of Elizabeth (1850), Upshur
County around 4.5 miles northwest of Buckhannon (1840), Grant County
about 9 miles southwest of Petersburg (1830), and Hardy County
around 3 miles northeast of Wardensville (1820).
For 1810 the center of population was in Loudoun County, Virginia,
just northwest of the historic village of Waterford.
Following the second decennial census in 1800, the center of population
was determined to be in present day Howard County, Maryland, 18
miles west of Baltimore, which is about 6 miles northwest of the
modern-day town of Columbia.
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