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Summary of Social and Economic Characteristics of the United States: 1980-2000

          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     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 area (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 (percent)   77.40   76.30   76.40   75.00   74.90   75.00   74.90   74.70   74.60
Participation rate of women (percent)   51.50   54.50   57.50   58.90   59.30   59.80   59.80   60.00   60.20
Unemployment rate (percent)    7.10    7.20    5.60    5.60    5.40    4.90    4.50    4.20    4.00
Men (percent)    6.90    7.00    5.70    5.60    5.40    4.90    4.40    4.10    4.00
Women (percent)    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 Chained 1996 dollars are calculated using chain-type indices, rather than constant dollars, to measure real GDP. The chain-type method first calculates the real changes between adjacent years. Annual rates of real changes are then chained (multiplied) together to obtain the rate of real changes between nonadjacent years. Chained dollars are preferable to constant dollars, which merely reflect overall price inflation, because chained dollars capture the effect of changes in the components of GDP.
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.
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