Demographic Characteristics
The United States has an extremely diverse population.  According to 2001 Census figures, the U.S. population measured nearly 285,000,000 people. That means the U.S. has the third-largest population in the world, right behind China and India.

The life expectancy at birth is 77.26 years on average; 74.37 years for men, 80.05 years for women. In terms of ethnicity, the U.S. is 83.5% white (includes Hispanic/Latino), 12.4% black, 3.3% Asian, and 0.8% Amerindian.

About 84% of Americans identify themselves as Christians (56% Protestant, 28% Roman Catholic).  Jewish Americans account for 2% of the population, and about 4% of Americans claim yet another faith (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism etc.).  Around 10% either have no religious affiliation, or do not practice any faith.

According to the 2000 Census, the median (middle/center) income in the U.S. was $50,750.

Immigration and Migration

Before 1880, most immigrants to the United States came from either the United Kingdom (including Ireland) or Germany.  They were usually middle-class Protestants (except for the Irish), looking for land on which to settle, and could speak some English.  During this period, there were no laws limiting the number of immigrants who could enter the country.

After 1880, things changed.  Railroads began to crisscross the country. New railroad construction brought new job opportunities and new immigrant groups seeking better jobs, a higher standard of living, or political and religious freedom..  This second wave of immigrants came mostly from Poland, Italy,  or Russia, and were more likely to be Catholic or Jewish than Protestants.  They were poor, and spoke little English. 

Initially, the greatest hardship to immigrants arriving after 1880 was becoming Americanized.  They had to learn how to speak English, and try to fit into the rest of American culture.  Most of these new immigrants were unable to assimilate as well as did their children. 

Later, laws restricting immigration were passed to limit the number of non-Protestant, non-English speaking people hoping to find a new home in the United States. As early as the 1840s, nativists, people who believed that other races, nationalities or religions were inferior, argued for restricted immigration.  Nativists feared the new immigrants would pollute the predominate Protestant culture of the U.S., as well as take jobs from native-born Americans.

In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act banned all future Chinese immigration to the U.S.  In 1907, the Japanese agreed to limit immigration.  Restriction against European immigrants did not begin until after World War One.

According to Census 2000, the majority of modern immigrants were from Latin America, Asia and/or Europe.  The fewest immigrants came from Oceania, Africa, and other areas of North America.  Today, there are still legal limitations on immigration into the United States.

Population Trends

According to the 2000 census, the median (middle/center) age of Americans was 35.  Almost three quarters are 18 or older, with the largest group between 35 and 44 years old.  Further, women outnumber men in the general population, 51 to 49 percent. (Census map courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau).

The greatest population density lies on the East Coast between Boston and Washington D.C., with D.C. (at 9316 persons per square mile), New Jersey, and Rhode Island  having the greatest number of person per square mile.  The most sparsely populated states are Wyoming, Montana and Alaska (having only 1.1 persons per square mile).  New York State, with 19,000,000 residents, had a population density of 402 per square mile.

Current Issues

The Baby Boomers

The term Baby Boomer is used to describe middle-aged Americans.  Economic prosperity followed the end of World War Two, which resulted in many jobs and increased income for workers. Because of this, many people felt comfortable having large families.  The sharp increase in the number of children born between 1946 and 1964 created a baby boom.  That means anyone (in the year 2002) between the age 38 and 56 falls into the Baby Boomer category. About 77,000,000 Americans fall into the Baby Boomer category.

The Graying of America

At this time, more than 12% of all Americans are over age 65.  Because of the large Baby Boomer population group,  about 35% of Americans will be eligible for  retirement (or already are retired) in the next twenty years.  To put that into a different perspective, that translates to about 100,000,000 people. 

The number of retired or ready-to-retire Americans is significantly higher than the number of Americans who will be left in the workplace.  Because retirees will outnumber workers within the next two decades, it has been said that without significant planning, Americas elderly are in danger of losing Social Security benefits in the next twenty years.  The federal government has discussed several reform options for Social Security and Medicare funding, but political rivalry has prevented any agreements.

Population & Immigration Revisited

The number of people in the United States increased slowly between the 1990 and 2000 Census.  In 1990, there were about 248,710,000 Americans.  In 2000, there were nearly 285,000,000 Americans.  That's an overall population increase of about 14 percent.  However, the number of babies born in the United States (birth rate) has been on the decline. 

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 1990 the birth rate was 16.7 live births per 1,000 people and by 2000 it decreased to 14.7.  Why is the population level staying fairly steady if the birth rate is decreasing?  Immigration. Workers, students, political, religious and economic refugees still come to the United States seeking safety and/or a higher standard of living.  In 1990, 8 percent of the population  was born outside the United States.  In 2000, that number increased to 11 percent.