• U.S.

Indicators Of The Century

2 minute read
Compiled by Deborah Wells and Lina Lofaro

POPULATION Americans moved from industrial cities of the Northeast to the Sun Belt of the South and West

10 MOST POPULOUS CITIES

1900 1 New York 2 Chicago 3 Philadelphia 4 St. Louis 5 Boston 6 Baltimore 7 Cleveland 8 Buffalo 9 San Francisco 10 Cincinnati

1998* 1 New York 2 Los Angeles 3 Chicago 4 Houston 5 Philadelphia 6 San Diego 7 Phoenix 8 San Antonio 9 Dallas 10 Detroit

*Preliminary numbers. Source: Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census

AGE Since people are living longer, the poplulation profile has evened out

Population by age 1900 1999*

[less than] 5 12% 7% 5 – 14 22% 14% 15 – 24 20% 14% 25 – 34 16% 14% 35 – 44 12% 16% 45 – 54 9% 13% 55 – 64 5% 9% 65+ 4% 13%

DEATH Some diseases that once were top killers have been brought under control

10 leading causes of death, rate per 100,000

1900 1. Pneumonia, influenza 202.2 2. Tuberculosis 194.4 3. Diarrhea, enteritis, ulcers 142.7 4. Heart disease 137.4 5. Stroke 106.9 6. Acute kidney infection 88.6 7. Accidents 72.3 8. Cancer, malignant tumors 64.0 9. Senility 50.2 10. Diphtheria 40.3

1998* 1. Heart disease 268.0 2. Cancer 199.4 3. Stroke 58.5 4. Pulmonary diseases 42.3 5. Pneumonia, influenza 35.1 6. Accidents 34.5 7. Diabetes 23.9 8. Suicide 10.8 9. Acute kidney infection 9.7 10. Chronic liver disease, cirrhosis 9.2

*Preliminary numbers. Source: National Center for Health Statistics

IMMIGRATION Latinos now surpass Europeans as immigrants

1901-1910 Europe, 91% Asia, 4% North America, 4% Other, 1%

1998* North America, 38.3% Asia, 33.3% Europe, 13.7% South America, 6.9% Africa, 6.2% Other, 1.7%

*Preliminary numbers. Note: ‘North America’ includes Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and Canada. ‘Other’ includes Oceania. Source: Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service

COST OF LIVING It costs more today to make a hamburger, less to make an omelet Inflation 1900 adjusted 1999 Sugar (1 lb.) $.04 $.78 $1.49 Eggs (1 dozen) $.14 $2.75 $1.79 Butter (1 lb.) $.24 $4.70 $4.49 Beef (1 lb.) $.07 $1.37 $2.99 Coffee (1 lb.) on $.07 $1.37 $1.35 the commodity exchange Kodak camera* $5 $98 $120 Lionel $6 $117 $150 electric train Train ticket** $13 $254 $43 First-class stamp $.02 $.39 $.33

*Pocket Model D in 1900, APS (Advanced Photo System) in 1999 **From St. Paul Minn., to Minot, S.D., on the Great Northern Railway Sources: The People’s Chronology, Uncommon Grounds, Lionel LLC, Eastman Kodak Co., Amtrak, The Great Northern Railway–A History, The Traveller’s Official Railway Guide, U.S. Postal Service

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