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BTS Home > Publications > Transportation Indicators > June 2001

Summary of U.S. social and economic characteristics

	1980	1985	1990	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Total U.S. resident population (thousands)^a	227,225	237,924	248,791	262,803	265,229	267,784	270,248	272,691	276,059
Age (thousands)^a
Under 18	63,754	62,623	63,949	68,555	69,109	69,603	69,903	70,199	70,484
18-24 years	30,022	28,902	26,961	25,112	24,843	24,980	25,476	26,011	26,748
25-34	37,082	41,696	43,174	40,730	40,246	39,559	38,743	37,936	37,189
35-44	25,634	31,691	37,444	42,555	43,365	44,014	44,498	44,813	44,813
45-54	22,800	22,460	25,062	31,100	32,358	33,625	34,575	35,804	37,685
55-64	21,703	22,135	21,116	21,132	21,353	21,813	22,666	23,389	24,209
65 and over	25,550	28,415	31,083	33,619	33,957	34,185	34,385	34,540	39,301
Sex (thousands) ^b
Male	110,053	116,160	121,284	128,294	129,504	130,783	132,030	133,277	134,979
Female	116,493	122,576	127,507	134,510	135,724	137,001	138,212	139,414	141,080
Metropolitan areas (population in millions)
Large (over 1 million)	119	U	139	U	149	U	U	U	U
Medium (250,000-999,999)	41	U	41	U	44	U	U	U	U
Small (less than 250,000)	17	U	18	U	19	U	U	U	U
Rural vs urban (thousands)
Rural	59,495	U	61,656	U	U	U	U	U	U
Urban	167,051	U	187,053	U	U	U	U	U	U
Metropolitan areas (population in millions)
Large (over 1 million)	119	U	139	147	149	151	153	156	U
Medium (250,000-999,999)	41	U	41	44	44	43	43	43	U
Small (less than 250,000)	17	U	18	19	19	20	20	20	U
Rural vs urban areas (population in thousands)
Rural	59,495	U	61,656	U	U	U	U	U	U
Urban	167,051	U	187,053	U	U	U	U	U	U
Regions (population in millions) ^c
Northeast	49.1	49.9	50.8	51.4	51.6	51.6	51.7	51.8	U
South	75.4	81.4	85.5	91.8	93.1	94.2	95.3	96.5	U
Midwest	58.9	58.8	59.7	61.8	62.1	62.5	63.0	63.2	U
West	43.2	47.8	52.8	57.7	58.5	59.4	60.3	61.2	U
Immigrants admitted	530,639	570,009	1,536,483	720,461	915,900	798,378	660,447	U	U
Total area (square miles)	3,618,770	U	3,717,796	U	U	U	U	U	U

	1980	1985	1990	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (chained $ 1996 billions)^d	4,901	5,717	6,708	7,544	7,813	8,160	8,516	8,876	9,319
Total civilian labor force (thousands)^e	106,940	115,461	125,840	132,304	133,943	136,297	137,673	139,368	141,489
Participation rate of men	77.40%	76.30%	76.40%	75.00%	74.90%	75.00%	74.90%	74.70%	74.60%
Participation rate of women	51.50%	54.50%	57.50%	58.90%	59.30%	59.80%	59.80%	60.00%	60.20%
Unemployment rate	7.10%	7.20%	5.60%	5.60%	5.40%	4.90%	4.50%	4.20%	4.00%
Men	6.90%	7.00%	5.70%	5.60%	5.40%	4.90%	4.40%	4.10%	4.00%
Women	7.40%	7.40%	5.50%	5.60%	5.40%	5.00%	4.60%	4.30%	4.00%
Number of households (thousands)	80,776	86,789	93,347	98,990	99,627	101,018	102,528	U	U
Average size of households	2.76	2.69	2.63	2.65	2.65	2.64	2.62	U	U
Median household income (chained $ 1996)	33,722	34,439	35,945	35,082	35,492	36,175	37,430	U	U
Families below poverty level (thousands)	6,217	7,223	7,098	7,532	7,708	7,324	7,186	U	U
Average household expenditures (chained $ 1996)	U	34,253	34,070	33,217	33,797	34,038	34,205	U	U

KEY: U = Unavailable
^a Estimates as of July 1 except 1980 and 1990, which are as of April 1, and 2000, which is as of November 1.
^b 1995 through 2000 data are estimates.
^c As of July 1 for all years except 1980 and 1990.
^d Net output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States.
^e For 2000, as of December.

SOURCES: 1980-1998 data: Multiple sources as cited in U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Transportation Statistics 1999, Table A, p. xix.

1999 Data: Population: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, available at: http://www.census.gov.

Immigration: U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Services, Annual Report: Legal Immigration FY 1998, available at: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/aboutins/statistics/index.htm.

GDP, Average household expenditure, Median household income: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Employment (1980-1999): U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, available at: http://www.bls.gov/cpsatabs.htm.

Average Size of Households, Families below poverty level: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1999.