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1960 Census: Population, Supplementary Reports: Employment Status, Weeks Worked, and Year Last Worked

PC(S1)-35

The tables presented here are preprints of tables 194, 196, 197, 199, 200, and 285 (or portions thereof) from Final Report PC(l)-lD, which contains additional summary information on the detailed characteristics of the population.

In 1960, there were 61.3 million men 14 years old and over of whom 47.5 million, or 77 percent, were in the labor force. For young men (14 to 19 years old), the labor force participation was 38 percent, and almost half the workers in this group were employed in part-time jobs. This can be attributed to the fact that over three-fourths of this group were enrolled in school.

Men who completed their education and those who assumed the responsibilities of marriage had substantially higher labor force rates and tended to work at full-time jobs to a greater extent than those men still enrolled in school and unmarried. Between the ages of 30 and 39 years, the male labor force rate reached a peak of 96 percent with only 5 percent of its workers engaged in part-time activity. This group had a relatively high proportion (87 percent) of married men.

The labor force rate rose from 6 percent for females 14 years old to a peak of 50 percent at age 19. The rate declined steadily for women in their twenties as many women left their jobs to take on marital responsibilities. For women 25 to 29 years old, 55 percent were married, living with their husband, and had children under 6 years old. After the children are well into their school years, many women return to work. This can be seen in the rise in the labor force rate from 35 percent for women 30 to 34 years to 47 percent for those between 45 and 49 years.

The PDF to the right contains the 14-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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