Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-06
Suburbs Grow
Ten Times as
Fast as d.
Population Gain Is
$4,000 Since 1850;
Area Now 1884 900

/
Details of washington's much
debated flight to the suburbs"
are shown in new population
studies revealed today.
Washington's burgeoning sub
urbs are growing 10 times as
fast as the District, according to
estimates newly prepared by DR..
Jerome P. Pickard, research di-
rector of the Washington Board
of Trade.
Suburban population has in
creased $4,000 since the 1850
census, while the Districts pop
ulation has increased only 5000.
At the same time, the ratio of
white to colored residents is
rapidly changing within the
District.
The Metropolitan Area now
numbers 1884 900 persons. OF
this total. $4,000 live in the Dis
trict and 1,044, 900 in Montgom-
cry. Prince Georges. Arlington
and Fairfax Counties and Alex
andria and Falls Church. DR..
Pickard says his estimates go up
to January l of this year.
White Population Declines
In the District, for the six
year period studied, there has
been a loss of 81, 1000 white per-
sons who moved out, which is
only partially offset by natural
increase (births minus deaths)
of $4,000, for a net loss of So. 000
In the same period. the colored
population of the District rose
$4,000 by migration and $4,000
by natural increase, for a net
gain of $1,000.
The present composition of the
Districts population. according
to the estimates, is 465,000 white
to $4,000 colored.
In the suburbs, meanwhile,
white population has risen $751;
1000, while the colored population
has gone up only 5000.
The general population shift,
with higher-income white fami-
lies moving to the suburbs and
the ratio of colored residents
rising in the central city, is typi-
cal of most metropolitan areas
in the United States today, DR..
Pickard said.
No Large Influx
But he said the changing
ratios here apparently are not
greatly affected by a large-scale
influx of Negroes, such as has
been reported in Chicago and
other cities with a large indus
trial economy.
Schools and welfare agencies
are feeling the change, however.
AS recently as 1858. the number
of white and colored children in
the Districts public. private and
parochial schools was about
equal. In 1855, the proportion
was 1000 colored to $4,000
white. And in public schools
alone. the ratio was $4,000 COL
ored to $4,000 white.
On public relief rolls, there
are almost 10 times as many
colored children receiving aid
as white children. But recent
Immigration is not a large factor
here either. About IS per cent
of the mothers-both white and
colored-whose children get
Welfare Department. aid have
lived in the District more than
10 years, according to DR.. Ray
mond F. Clapp, department re-
search director.
Ratio Almost Constant
For the Metropolitan Area as
a whole, the ratio of colored to
white population has remained
almost constant in the last six
years. About 23.5 per cent of the
area population is colored.
While DR.. Pickard's figures
show a net migration of only
1000 colored persons to the SUBJ
urbS since 1850, this figure does
not represent the actual move
ment of colored families, he says.
A great many more colored fami-
lies are moving into suburban
sections, but their number is bal
anced by families who move out
of rural sections of the area.