The Washington times., 1901-07-12
POPULATION IN THE CITIES
It's Remarkable Increase Shown by
Census Office Bulletin.
"The Boys Are Leaving the Farm"
Says Director Merriam in Explain
alton - Greatest Capitalization in
Towns shown in Eastern states

bulletin relating to urban population whicl
shows for the several States and Terri
tories, separately and as a whole, tn,
proportion of the population living in cit
'es or other subdivisions possessing al
the essential characteristics of urban life
At the Census of 1890 the discussion OF
urban population was limited to places OF
S.0c5 inhabitants or more. in order that
the results OF that Census could be
brought into comparison with the pub
lishcd results of former Censuses. This
limit of population was then recognized
to be somewhat arbitrary, and the dis
cussion of urban population at that Cen
| sus could nave been extended to in
| clude all places of at least 1000 inhab-
itautS While The higher limit of popu-
lation is used in the bulletin issued yes
terday, the discussion is made to compre-
hend as well the lower limit of popula-
ton.
The import of this bulletin may be
summed up, as Director Merriam said,
by the statement that the boys are leav-
ing the farm" This is shown by the
steady growth of urban population in all
sections of the country, notably in the
| North Atlantic and North Central divi-
sions.
With the higher limit as a basis. there
are approximately 25, ,OoO.0 coo persons living
in incorporated places in 1900, as compared
| with 1S,3900G in 1890 There are 5i6 places
! in 1890 which conform to the conditions
! of the higher limit of population contain
| ing an aggregate of 25,0 sos persons, con-
| stituting $2.9 per cent of the population
! of the entire area of enumeration exclu-
! sive of Alaska and of persons enumerated
/ at stations abroad. At the Census of 1890
| there were AS such places. having an
! aggregate population of Is, 295, 40, and con-
stituung % per cent of the total popula-
| ton considered at that Census.
! There were in 1890 but six places having
! 5000 inhabitants or more, containing in
all but iS1. .i72 persons, or only 3.4 per cent
Of the total population at that Census
At the Census of 1890 the proportion of
the total population living in places of
like size had been increased to 6.7 per
cent, representing s54,5o9 persons living
in 26 places, out of a total population for
the entire country of 12,S65 90. At the
Census of 1850 there Were 2S97.5 .5S5 persons
| living in s. places of upward of S,o00 in
habitants. equivalent to 12-5 per cent of
the entire population, which then COM
prised 23.191, SIC persons. In 1880 the pro-
| portions, compared with 1850 had nearly
doubled. there being out of total popu-
Iation of 0,155, 7S3 at that Census, 1l.31S,5H
| persons. or 22.6 per cent. living in 2S6
such places. During the succeeding
decade there was a very large increase
in urban population SO that at the Census
OF 1880 very nearly 30 per cent of the
! population was found living in Az cities
OF 5000 inhabitants or more. The pro-
portion Of urban population has increased
during the last ten years at somewhat
less rapid rate there being. according TO
the figures embraced in the bulletin, not
quite one-tEird Of the population now
living in places of 5000 or more
There has been a notable increase since
1890 In the proportion of urban population
in the North Atlantic division of States
considered as a whole. and in somewh hat
lesser degree of the North Central di-
vision. Fifty-eight and six-tenths per
cent of the total population OF the North
Atlantic division, and 3e.6 per cent Of that
Of the North Central division in 1909 live
in places OF S,0e0 Inhabitants or more, as
compared with 51.7 yer cent for the for
mer and 25.9 per cent for the latter di-
vision at the Census of 1880. In Rhode
Island So per cent Of the population live
in cities or towns Of 5000 inhabitants or
more while this element also constitutes
as per cent Of the population OF Mass1-
Chusctts GS-5 per cent in New York, OIL
per cent in New Jersey, and So per cent
in Connecticut. These are the only
States in which the proportion OF urban
population measured on this basis is
greater than one-half Of the total popu-
lation in 1880. But in Pennsylvania. Del
there is between 20 and 30 per cent Of the
total population living in places OF tbs
size.
In order to obtain n somewhat closer
approximation 10 true conditions. the
limit of population was lowered to in
clude all towns with a population Of 400
or more. On this basis the percentage Of
total urban population in 1909 is raised
TO 313 per cent as compared with 32.9 per
cent for 1880. instead Of 329 per cent for
1900. and % per cent for 1880 under the
higherdimit.
The proportion of urban population in
1eo9 In the Western and North Central
divisions respectively is not much more
than One-half Of what II is in the North
Atlantic division the exact percentages
being 35.9 for the Western and 35.5 for
the North Central. The urban element
IN 1890 constitutes about one-eighth G3 ;
Der cent? Of the total POPULATION of the
South Central division and not quite one
NTH tls6 per cent? OF that of the South
Atlantic division At the two preceding
censuses the proportion OF urban pSpula-
ton in these two divisions was slightly
less than in 1870
There are nine States In which the pro-
portion or urban population ranges from
not quite one-half to more than nine
tenths Of their total population in 1890
ard nineteen States and Territories in
which the urban element in 1909 consti-
tutes less than one-sixth OF their total
population. Rhode Island leads the list 1
Of per cent Of total urban population un-
der the lower limit with 81 per cent and
New York is third on the list with T.2
per cent BY the exclusion Of the large |
cities from the consideration Of urban |
population in certain States the proportion |
Of the urban element to the total Dopula- |
ton IS very much lowered. particularly |
in New York. Maryland. Louisiana. Mis- |
souri,. Minnesota and Illinois By this |
means the percentage Of urban population |
in New York Is reduced from 71-2 per cent |
TO 34.S per cent.
over four-fifths Of the entire urban ele- |
ment OF the country IN 1900 Is found in |
the North Atlantic and North Central |
divisions, the first named containing ~ |
per cent and the second 329 per cent OF /
the total The percentage Of Increase Of |
urban population during the past ten |
population. the urban population having |
increased I.642slf.-or nearly 81 per cent. |
as compared with an increase in total |
population during the same period OF |
not quite p per cent In the South Cen |
tral and Western divisions there has been |
an increase in urban population in ten /
years Of very nearly y per cent as
Of practically 2G and % per cent, respec-
lively.
New York. under the act Of consolida-
ton which became effective January J.
1855. has grown to be city Of very nearly
800 900 inhabitants I'm 1900. as compared |
with population Of what was formerly
New York City Of little more than
] SG0. .O00 in 1890 and Of 10000 in 1880 The
population Of the territory now comprised
within the present limits Of New York !
was approximately 800 01G in $50 and |
! 800 90 in 1850. II Is the premier city uf
the country In point of population. a pO-
sitiOn which IL has uniformly held at each
dccennial Census since and including l799 |
The area comprised within the present
fvaF# - - safH q Nagly ls...F