The Washington Post 20100302

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DAILY 03-02-10 MD SU C10 CMYK
C10 S KLMNO TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2010
TODAY: Mostly
cloudy, snow late
HIGH LOW
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How many people live in your
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ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTOPHER
HERNANDEZ, 8, SILVER SPRING
THE 2010 U.S. CENSUS
How do you count to
300,000,000?
*
E
very 10 years, the United States counts its
From the 2000 Census Total U.S. population: Children younger than age 18:
residents — and it’s a really big job. A decade ago,
281.4 million 72.3 million
the number was 281,421,906. Now it’s time to
count again, so this month every home in the country will
State with
get a form asking how many people live there and other
the fewest people:
basic information. Wyoming
This giant counting exercise is called the U.S. Census. It
493,782
doesn’t just produce numbers; the information gathered is a
snapshot of America, telling us who we are and where we
come from. It shows us how America has changed over time.
And it gives you something to compare yourself with. For
State with
example, the average U.S. family has 3.2 people. Is yours
the most people:
bigger or smaller than that?
State with
California
the oldest residents:
The government also uses the information from the 33.9 million
Florida
census to figure out how much money is needed for things Median age:
such as hospitals, schools, roads and emergency services. 38.7 years
Census data are also used to draw district lines for members
State with
of Congress, which can affect how many representatives
the youngest residents:
each state has in Congress.
Utah
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
So the census is really important — and cool. If you see
Median age:
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
27.1 years GRAPHICS BY
the form lying around, remind your parents to fill it out! KIM MAXWELL VU/
THE WASHINGTON POST
— Margaret Webb Pressler
America used The population is The country
to have fewer getting bigger, but is much more
people ... it’s also getting older! diverse than
This chart shows the median age of the U.S. population. it used to be.
The population
That means half the people were older than this age,
These charts show what
CID40CID38CID38CID38
of the
half were younger.
part of the population is
United States:
CID40CID46CID39CID36CID42 CID99CID95CID98CID98CID95CID101CID100
white, black or another race
CID63CID100 CID40CID38CID38CID38CID34 CID63CID100 CID39CID47CID38CID38CID34
CID106CID94CID91 CID99CID91CID90CID95CID87CID100 CID87CID93CID91 CID93CID104CID91CID109 CID106CID101CID106CID94CID91 CID99CID91CID90CID95CID87CID100 CID87CID93CID91 CID109CID87CID105
CID41CID43CID36CID41 CID111CID91CID87CID104CID105CID40CID40CID36CID47 CID111CID91CID87CID104CID105
CID39CID47CID43CID38 CID40CID38CID38CID38CID32
CID39CID47CID38CID38
CID77CID94CID95CID106CID91 CID77CID94CID95CID106CID91
CID45CID44 CID99CID95CID98CID98CID95CID101CID100
CID46CID47CID36CID43CID27 CID45CID43CID36CID39CID27
CID39CID47CID38CID38 CID39CID47CID43CID38 CID40CID38CID38CID38
CID56CID98CID87CID89CID97 CID69CID106CID94CID91CID104 CID104CID87CID89CID91CID105 CID56CID98CID87CID89CID97 CID69CID106CID94CID91CID104 CID104CID87CID89CID91CID105
... but it used to be
CID39CID38CID27 CID38CID36CID43CID27 CID39CID40CID36CID41CID27 CID39CID40CID36CID43CID27
much more common
CID32 CID58CID101CID91CID105 CID100CID101CID106 CID91CID103CID107CID87CID98 CID39CID38CID38 CID102CID91CID104CID89CID91CID100CID106 CID90CID107CID91 CID106CID101 CID104CID101CID107CID100CID90CID95CID100CID93CID36
CID39CID47CID38CID38 CID39CID47CID39CID38 CID39CID47CID40CID38 CID39CID47CID41CID38 CID39CID47CID42CID38 CID39CID47CID43CID38 CID39CID47CID44CID38 CID39CID47CID45CID38 CID39CID47CID46CID38 CID39CID47CID47CID38 CID40CID38CID38CID38
to have lots of people
Where are you from?
living together!
Put another way,
Today, more Americans
kids are now a smaller
than ever were born
In 1900, nearly one-third of all homes had six or more
somewhere else. But
people. part of the population!
100 years ago, immigrants
These pie charts show the percentage of the
made up an even bigger
CID44CID33 CID102CID91CID101CID102CID98CID91CID41CID35CID43 CID102CID91CID101CID102CID98CID91
CID39CID35CID40 CID102CID91CID101CID102CID98CID91
population that is younger than age 15:
part of the population.
CID41CID38CID36CID41CID27CID42CID47CID36CID42CID27
CID40CID38CID36CID41CID27
CID63CID100 CID39CID47CID38CID38CID34 CID63CID100 CID40CID38CID38CID38CID34
By 1950, most American homes had between three and fi ve
CID41CID42CID36CID43CID27
CID41CID39CID36CID39 CID99CID95CID98CID98CID95CID101CID100
people. CID101CID92 CID106CID94CID91 CID102CID101CID102CID107CID98CID87CID106CID95CID101CID100 CID109CID91CID104CID91
CID95CID99CID99CID95CID93CID104CID87CID100CID106CID105 CID99CID87CID90CID91 CID107CID102
CID63CID100 CID39CID47CID38CID38CID34
CID111CID101CID107CID100CID93CID91CID104 CID106CID94CID87CID100 CID87CID93CID91 CID39CID43
CID39CID39CID36CID39CID27
CID39CID38CID36CID41 CID99CID95CID98CID98CID95CID101CID100
CID39CID35CID40 CID41CID35CID43 CID44CID33
CID101CID92 CID106CID94CID91 CID102CID101CID102CID107CID98CID87CID106CID95CID101CID100
CID95CID99CID99CID95CID93CID104CID87CID100CID106CID105 CID99CID87CID90CID91 CID107CID102
CID41CID45CID36CID42CID27 CID43CID39CID36CID44CID27 CID39CID39CID27
CID39CID41CID36CID44CID27
CID101CID92 CID106CID94CID91 CID102CID101CID102CID107CID98CID87CID106CID95CID101CID100
But in 2000, well over half of homes had just one or two
residents.
CID63CID100 CID40CID38CID38CID38CID34
CID40CID39CID36CID42CID27
CID39CID35CID40 CID41CID35CID43 CID44CID33
CID101CID92 CID106CID94CID91 CID102CID101CID102CID107CID98CID87CID106CID95CID101CID100 CID109CID91CID104CID91
CID111CID101CID107CID100CID93CID91CID104 CID106CID94CID87CID100 CID87CID93CID91 CID39CID43
CID43CID46CID36CID42CID27 CID41CID45CID36CID41CID27 CID42CID36CID41CID27
CID39CID47CID38CID38 CID39CID47CID43CID38 CID40CID38CID38CID38
Here are some questions on the form.
JEF MALLETTFRAZZ
How many people live in the house or apartment?
Is the home owned or rented?
Names of the people who live there.
Your phone number.
Age, sex and race of each person in the home.
*
The government estimates that the U.S. population passed 300 million in 2006.
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