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1960 Census of Population: Supplementary Reports: School Enrollment of the Population of the United States: 1960

Report Number PC(S1)-29

The tables presented here are preprints of tables 166, 169, 172, and 273, or portions thereof, from Final Report PC(l)-lD, which contains additional summary information on the detailed characteristics of the population.

There were 41.4 million persons 5 to 20 years old enrolled in regular schools in the United States (exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii), representing an approximate doubling of the 21.3 million enrolled in 1920. This increase in enrollment is a reflection not only of the change in the size of the population for this age group, which increased from 33.3 million to 50.7 million during the 40-year period, but also of increases in the percent of the population that was enrolled at each year of age.

Both the number and percent enrolled increased, from 1920 to 1960, for each single year of age 5 to 20; however, the increases were most pronounced at ages 5 and 6, when kindergarten and elementary school are begun, and at ages 17 to 20, when high school is being completed and college is being started.

In both 1950 and 1960, enrollment rates were generally higher for whites than nonwhites at each single year of age 5 to 20; however, the increase in enrollment rates over the decade was as great for nonwhites as for whites at all ages and, in fact, greater for nonwhites at age 5 and ages 16 to 18.

The PDF to the right contains the 13-page report.

A Note on Language

Census statistics date back to 1790 and reflect the growth and change of the United States. Past census reports contain some terms that today’s readers may consider obsolete and inappropriate. As part of our goal to be open and transparent with the public, we are improving access to all Census Bureau original publications and statistics, which serve as a guide to the nation's history.

Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021
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