Facts by Decade

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Facts by Decade

Censuses are not conducted in a vacuum. They occur amidst internal and external crisis, shifts in cultural interests, and events that become "defining moments" for each generation. Census data reflect the growth of the population as well as the changing values and interests of the American people.

Fast Facts provides a portrait of the United States both statistically and culturally. In addition to census-related statistics, the innovations, events, and icons of each decade are highlighted. Each page illustrates the thought and culture of the population counted during each decade's census.

1960
  • 2020
  • 2010
  • 2000
  • 1990
  • 1980
  • 1970
  • 1960
  • 1950
  • 1940
  • 1930
  • 1920
  • 1910
  • 1900
  • 1890
  • 1880
  • 1870
  • 1860
  • 1850
  • 1840
  • 1830
  • 1820
  • 1810
  • 1800
  • 1790

1960

ICONS: John F. Kennedy, Vietnam War, Apollo 11

Population

179,323,175 U.S. Resident Population
50.6
 Population per square mile of land area
18.5
 Percent increase of population from 1950 to 1960
50
 Number of States

10 Largest Urban Places

Rank
 Place
 Population
1
 New York City, NY 8,175,133
2
 Chicago, IL 3,550,404
3
 Los Angeles, CA 2,479,015
4
 Philadelphia, PA 2,002,512
5
 Detroit, MI 1,670,144
6
 Baltimore, MD 939,024
7
 Houston, TX 938,219
8
 Cleveland, OH 876,050
9
 Washington, DC 763,956
10
 St. Louis, MO 750,026

The 1960 Census

Cost $127,934,000
Cost per Capita (cents) 71.4
Total Pages in Published Reports 103,000
Number of Enumerators 159,321
Census Bureau Director Robert Wilbur Burgess
Number of Questions on the Questionnaire N/A
Number of Questions on the Long Form N/A

Pop Culture

  • On July 15, 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy accepts the Democratic nomination for president at Memorial Colliseum, Los Angeles, CA>.
  • After 13 years, NBC cancels Howdy Doody. The last episode airs September 24, 1960.
  • Harper Lee's 1961 book To Kill A Mockingbird is a bestseller.
  • On October 1, 1962, James H. Meredith becomes the first black student to attend the University of Mississippi.
  • Betty Friedan's 1963 book The Feminine Mystique critiques the myth that a woman's identity is linked to childrearing and the accomplishments of their husbands.
  • The Beatles make their U.S. debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, on February 9, 1964.
  • The 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade arrive in Vietnam on March 8, 1965.
  • Apollo astronauts Virgil Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee die during a simulated launch exercise on January 27, 1967.
  • Western movie hero John Wayne wins the 1969 Best Actor Oscar for his role in the movie True Grit beating now legendary actors Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, Dustin Hoffman, and Jon Voight.
  • The August 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair draws more than 450,000 people to Bethel, NY.
Page Last Revised - October 31, 2023