How America Has Changed Since the First Census in 1790

1960: Tracking increased urbanization

• U.S. resident population: 179,323,175
• Number of official states: 50
• Median age of population: 29.5
• Immigrants obtaining legal resident status: 265,398
• Biggest cities: New York, NY (Population: 7,781,984), Chicago, IL (3,550,404), Los Angeles, CA (2,479,015)

For the first time, all 50 states in 1960 had a population of more than 200,000, with about 80% of the nation’s population living in urban areas.

Census enumerators working in urban areas practiced random sampling by questioning every fourth housing unit. Meanwhile, in areas of lower population density, a mail-out census was used for the first time.

This year’s census included new questions on place of work and means of transportation to work.