Population Profile of the United States 1999 America at the Close of the 20th Century Issued March 2001 P23-205 Current Population Reports Special Studies Demographic Programs U.S. Department of Commerce U S C E N S U S B U R E A U Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. CENSUS BUREAU Helping You Make Informed Decisions ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Contributions to this report came from throughout the U.S. Census Bureau and were coordinated by Judith Waldrop of the Population Division’s Special Projects Staff. The following people were reviewers, editors, expert advisors, data providers, cartographers, and graphic designers: Administrative Records History Staff Population Estimates and Methodology Branch • David M. Pemberton and Projections • Lisa R. Lollock • Signe Wetrogan, Housing and Household • Larry Douglas Sink Assistant Division Chief Economic Statistics • Amy Symens Smith • Larry Long Population Projections Branch American Housing Survey Branch • Frederick W. Hollmann Housing Characteristics • Jane M. Kneessi, Chief • Janie Slagle • Barbara T. Williams • Leonard Norry, Assistant Division Chief Poverty and Health Statistics Branch Cartographic Operations Branch • Mary Naifeh Income, Poverty, and • Timothy Trainor, Chief Health Statistics • Joseph Dalaker • Constance Beard • Charles T. Nelson, • Deborah Dove • Deanna Fowler Assistant Division Chief • Bernadette Proctor • Linda Orisini • Jack McNeil Publication Services Branch Customer Liaison Office Income Surveys Branch (HHES) • Gary J. Lauffer, Chief • Stanley J. Rolark, Chief • Edward J. Welniak Jr., Chief • Benjamin D. Cromer • Barbara A. Harris • Carmen DeNavas-Walt • Barbara M. Abbott • Renee Jefferson-Copeland • Timothy Grall • Nelsa Brown Demographic Advisor Income Surveys Branch (DSD) • Janet S. Sweeney • Campbell Gibson • Judith Eargle, Chief • Laurene V. Qualls Demographic Statistical Public Information Office Methods Division Journey to Work and Migration Statistics Branch • Robert Bernstein • Douglas S. Mayfield • Phillip Salopek, Chief • Alfred G. Meier Racial Statistics Branch • Carol S. Faber • Claudette Bennett, Chief Education and Social Stratification Branch Labor Force Statistics and Outreach • John Reed • Jennifer Cheeseman Day, Chief • Stephanie S. Shipp, Social and Demographic Statistics Assistant Division Chief • Kurt J. Bauman • Robert A. Kominski, • Andrea E. Curry Labor Force and Transfer Assistant Division Chief • Gladys Martinez Program Statistics Special Population Statistics • Eric C. Newburger • Charita Castro • Jorge del Pinal, Ethnic and Hispanic • Michael Davern Assistant Division Chief Statistics Branch Marketing Services Office Special Populations Branch • Kevin Deardorff, Chief • John C. Kavaliunas, Chief • Annetta C. Smith, Chief • Joseph M. Costanzo • David L. Wycinsky Jr. • Denise Smith • A. Dianne Schmidley Modeling and Outreach Branch Special Projects Staff Fertility and Family Statistics Branch • Kenton Kilgore • Martin O’Connell, Chief • Frank Hobbs, Chief • Amara Bachu Population Distribution Branch • Suzanna Carr • Colleen Joyce • Nicole Stoops Geographic Studies and Information Resources • Paul Mackun Statistical Information Staff • James D. Fitzsimmons, • Marc Perry • Linda Morris Assistant Center Chief • Trudy Suchan • Karen Jones With special thanks to John F. Long, Chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Division, for his vision and his support. Population Profile of the United States 1999 Issued March 2001 America at the Close of the 20th Century P23-205 Current Population Reports Special Studies U.S. Department of Commerce Donald L. Evans, Secretary Economics and Statistics Administration J. Lee Price, Acting Under Secretary for Economic Affairs U.S. CENSUS BUREAU William G. Barron, Acting Director Suggested Citation U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Series P23-205, Population Profile of the United States: 1999, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 2001. ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS ADMINISTRATION ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS ADMINISTRATION J. Lee Price, Acting Under Secretary for Economic Affairs U.S. CENSUS BUREAU William G. Barron, Acting Director William G. Barron, Deputy Director Paula J. Schneider, Principal Associate Director for Programs Nancy M. Gordon, Associate Director for Demographic Programs John F. Long, Chief, Population Division Daniel H. Weinberg, Chief, Housing and Household Economics Statistics Division For sale by Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. PREFACE Next year, the U.S. Census Bureau will celebrate its The Population Profile of the United States: 1999 brings 100th anniversary. Although a national population together, under one cover, a wide range of data on count had been conducted every 10 years since 1790, demographic, social, economic, and housing trends it was not until the early 1900s that the growing de- for the country as a whole. While emphasizing the last mand for information created a need for a permanent decade before the turn of the century, the report in- professional staff. As the country’s appetite for infor- cludes data collected throughout the 20th century and mation became more intense, the Census Bureau be- reflects the most recent information on each topic as came increasingly responsible for collecting and re- of October 2000. The Population Profile serves also leasing greater amounts of data — and the need for as a portal leading the reader to the voluminous and better ways to collect more timely and detailed infor- more detailed reports that the Census Bureau is con- mation became apparent. stantly producing. In the mid-1930s, the Census Bureau became a pio- Today, we look forward to being inundated with data neer in the application of probability sampling to hu- from Census 2000. According to current plans, by man populations. These innovations allowed the fed- 2004, the Census Bureau’s new American Community eral government to estimate the scope and breadth Survey will be producing statistics for every state and of unemployment during the Great Depression and to most large population areas in the United States ev- determine whether policy initiatives such as employ- ery year. Right now, we are pleased to celebrate 100 ment programs and Social Security were having the years of service. The Census Bureau and its Demo- desired effect. In the early 1940s, the agency began graphic Directorate supply information that federal, to conduct periodic surveys to meet the demand for state, and local governments need to govern, busi- up-to-date statistical measures on a variety of topics. nesses need to stay in business, nonprofits need to Today’s Census Bureau surveys touch on topics that serve their communities, and you need to make in- the population census cannot even begin to address, formed decisions. If you think the Census Bureau only such as computer use, voting behavior, and neighbor- provides population counts, think again. The Census hood crime. Bureau can tell you more. Nancy M. Gordon, Associate Director for Demographic Programs U.S. Census Bureau Notes About This Report The primary sources for this report are the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program, the Current Population Survey (CPS), the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), and the American Hous- ing Survey (AHS). Data are provided for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The different popu- lation universes included in this report are shown in Appendix B. All Current Population Reports and Current Housing Reports listed in this publication are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 or on the Census Bureau’s Web site at www.census.gov. General questions or comments about this report may be addressed to Judith Waldrop, Special Projects Staff of the Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233 (301-457-2437) or e-mailed to [email protected]. Population Profile of the United States: 1999 iii U.S. Census Bureau CONTENTS Part I: 6. FROM BIRTH TO SEVENTEEN: Population Dynamics The Living Arrangements of Children, 1998............................................. 23 1. AMERICA AT THE CLOSE OF THE 20th CENTURY: A growing number of children live in single- An Introduction ............................................. 3 parent homes. Findings from the U.S. Census Bureau reveal 7. THE PLACES PEOPLE LIVE: the complexity of American life at the end of Housing, 1999 ............................................. 28 the 20th century. Knowing about the quality of housing in the 2. ALL ACROSS THE USA: United States is essential to understanding the Population Distribution, 1999 ....................... 5 quality of life in this country. How many people live in the United States and Part III: where do they live? The answers to these questions are constantly changing. Social Characteristics 8. SCHOLARS OF ALL AGES: 3. PEOPLE ON THE MOVE: School Enrollment, 1998.............................. 35 Geographical Mobility, 1998-99 ................... 14 Education is not just our future, it is very much Migration is a basic component of population a part of our daily lives with one in four growth and decline. Americans aged 3 and older — 72 million people — enrolled in school. 4. MOTHERHOOD: The Fertility of American Women, 1998 ....... 16 9. THE GRADUATES: Educational Attainment, 1999 ..................... 38 Childbearing patterns at the close of the 20th century sharply contrast with the wide swings Americans are more educated than of preceding decades. ever