U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Skip Header


1960 Census: Population, Supplementary Reports: Population, Size of Family Income, by Family Characteristics

Report Number PC(S1)-45

This report presents statistics on income by selected social and economic characteristics of the families of the U.S. in advance of the report PC(2)-4C, Sources and Structure of Family Income.

Of the 45.1 million families in the United States in 1960, 9.7 million, or 21 percent, received total money incomes of less than $3,000 in 1959. About 54 percent received incomes of less than $6,000. On the other hand, 2.1 million families, or 5 percent, received incomes of $15,000 or more.

Families not headed by a married couple (“other male head” and "female head” as opposed to "husband-wife" families) are relatively more numerous at the lower income intervals. Families with a female head accounted for 2.1 million, about 22 percent, of the 9.7 million families with incomes of less than $3,000. Of the 6.8 million families with incomes of $10,000 or more, those with female heads numbered 246,000, only 4 percent of the total.

The heavy incidence of low family incomes among families with nonwhite female heads can be seen in table A. Of the 890 1000 families with nonwhite female heads, 651,000, or 73 percent, received incomes under $3,000; but only 14,000, or about 2 percent, received incomes of $10,000 or more in 1959.

The PDF to the right contains the 8-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
Is this page helpful?
Thumbs Up Image Yes Thumbs Down Image No
NO THANKS
255 characters maximum 255 characters maximum reached
Thank you for your feedback.
Comments or suggestions?

Top

Back to Header