Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-01
Cities Out-stripping
Rural Sections in
Population Growth

Warrington, Sept. 30-Cities are
Increasing In population seven and a
half times az fast as the rural dis
trtcts, the Census Bureau disclosed
tonight in compilation Of figures
covering approximately IS per cent
OF the new census. The figures in
dicated that the complete census
would show the majority of the pop
uiation to be city jewellers.
For the last ten years rural growth
was but one third as great Is it was
In the previous decade but the cities
almost maintained their rate Of
growth, getting FIVE new inhabitants
from 1910 to 1920 for each added
during the preceding ten years. All
population centers. even the small
est country hamlets and towns,
showed greater proportionate in
crease than the purely rural dis
tricts. The greatest increases, how
ever. were by cities of 10000 or more
Inhabitants.
While the bureau attempts no ex-
PLANTATION of the reasons for the in
creasing migration to the cities each
year during the last decade, presum-
ably higher wages. shorter working
day, home conveniences attracted
the rural population. especially dur
ing the war when wages in big in
dustriai centers went up rapidly.
Although showing a check in the
rate OF population growth for the
country as a whole, the bureaus
figures indicated that the complete
census would place the total number
OF Inhabitants of the continental
United States at approximately los. :
76S,l00. a gain of l3,795.s40 or Is
per cent, Cities will absorb practi-
cally all Of this increase, it being es-
timated that 12,172.so would reside
in towns of $500 or more inhabitants,
while 1,623,o40 would be added to
the farms and the small hamlets.
For the countryside itself the in
crease would be approximately a
million and a quarter.
Such a movement OF the PEOPLE will
place the urban population at approx
imately 54.796,loo and the rural pop
ulation at 5o,972, 900. In 1910 the ru-
Pal population outstripped that of the
cities by almost seven million, there
being 49.3iS,ss3 in the country and
42,S23,3S3 in the cities.
For several censuses," said the
bureau announcement" the country
has not been growing as rapidly as the
city, but the difference appears to be
greater at this census than ever be-
fore"
The urban population increased at
rate OF 25.2 per cent. while that of
the rural districts. including the viii
lagos and towns under $500 population,
was 3.4 per cent. For the st, ictly farm
territory the rate was 80 per cent.
and that of the villages was ~ per
cent.
Among the urban centers. cities ex-
ceeding 10000 increased at 2Si per
cent. those of 10000 to $4,000 at 2s7
per cent. and those Of $500 to 10000
at 1S.S per cent From 1900 to 1910 the
percentage rates of increase for these
three classifications OF cities were
35.s. 3s.7 and o7.s. respectively.
Up to 10 days ago the count Of pop
ulation, estimated at S. PEI cent COM
pIete, had reached e2.0ss.2S1. For pur-
poses of comparison between city and
country. the bureau reduced the fig
ure to s05ss,742 by eliminating the
population Of the insular possessions
and places in the United States for
which comparison was deemed mad
visable because Of new boundaries.
OF this total population. that class
flied as urban was reported as 52.4ai,-
749, the cities over $4,000 population
having S2,53s.o3s inhabitants. those
of 10000 to $4,000 having 1l.77l.224
and those OF $500 to 10000 having S.
1so.4S7. The rural population was
32,025.961 in the country districts, and
6,o6S,o32 in villages under $500 in
population.