1950 US Population | Statistics & Facts

US Population in 1950

The 1950 US population represented a transformative moment in American history, capturing the nation at the dawn of unprecedented prosperity and demographic expansion following World War II. Conducted by the United States Census Bureau with April 1, 1950, as the official census date, this decennial enumeration documented a total of 151,325,798 residents, marking a remarkable 14.5 percent increase from the 1940 count of 131,669,275. This census stands as particularly significant because it recorded the beginning of the legendary baby boom generation, with enumerators documenting 16,196,536 children under age 5, the largest population of any five-year age cohort in the nation’s history to that point.

The 1950 census holds exceptional importance for understanding post-war American society, documenting massive shifts in urbanization, suburban development, economic prosperity, and social transformation. This enumeration captured a nation transitioning from wartime mobilization to peacetime abundance, with returning veterans establishing families, purchasing homes through the G.I. Bill, and fueling unprecedented economic growth. The census employed innovative methodologies including the first widespread use of sampling techniques and introduced computers (UNIVAC I) for data processing, revolutionizing demographic analysis. Released to the public on April 1, 2022, after the mandatory 72-year confidentiality period, these records now provide invaluable insights for researchers, genealogists, and historians studying mid-century America.

Interesting Facts About 1950 Population in the United States

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volumes 1-4; National Archives and Records Administration; Census Bureau Facts for Features 2022

The 1950 US population statistics reveal a nation experiencing explosive growth and profound transformation in the immediate post-World War II era. The total count of 151,325,798 Americans represented an addition of 19,656,523 people since 1940, the largest numeric increase in decades and a 14.5 percent growth rate that signaled the beginning of the baby boom phenomenon. The most striking demographic feature was the unprecedented number of young children: 16,196,536 children under 5 years old comprised 10.7 percent of the population, reflecting birth rates that had soared following wartime family separations and economic uncertainty, as returning veterans and their spouses rapidly established families.

The demographic composition showed 89.5 percent identified as White, 10.0 percent as Black, and 0.5 percent in other racial categories, with methodological changes from previous censuses affecting direct comparisons. The urban population reached 64.0 percent, marking accelerated urbanization and suburban expansion enabled by automobile ownership, highway construction, and federal housing policies. The gender balance shifted for the first time to show 50.3 percent female and 49.7 percent male, influenced by wartime casualties and longer female life expectancy. Educational attainment showed remarkable progress with 57.4 percent of adults aged 17 and older completing high school, more than double the 1940 rate of 24.5 percent, reflecting wartime training programs and the G.I. Bill’s educational benefits. The median family income of $3,073 in 1949 dollars (approximately $38,000 in 2025 dollars) demonstrated rising prosperity, while the 55.0 percent homeownership rate illustrated the housing boom transforming American residential patterns through suburban development and federal mortgage programs.

Latest Population Statistics for the United States in 1950

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volumes 1-4; National Archives Census Records; Historical Statistics of the United States

The 1950 US population data provides comprehensive insights into American demographic structure during the early post-war boom period. The total enumeration of 151,325,798 residents showed significant gender balance changes, with 76,492,559 females (50.5 percent) slightly outnumbering 74,833,239 males (49.7 percent), marking the first census to document a female majority in the American population. This shift resulted from World War II combat casualties, longer female life expectancy, and changing mortality patterns across age groups. The racial composition reflected the classification systems of the era, documenting 135,431,000 individuals identified as White (89.5 percent), 15,135,000 as Black (10.0 percent), and 759,798 in other racial categories (0.5 percent), including American Indians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders.

The urban-rural distribution had shifted dramatically from the 1940 ratio, with 96,847,000 people (64.0 percent) now residing in urban areas while 54,478,798 (36.0 percent) remained in rural communities, reflecting massive migration from farms to cities and the explosive growth of suburban developments around major metropolitan areas. Nativity statistics showed 141,025,000 Americans (93.2 percent) were native-born citizens, while 10,300,798 (6.8 percent) were foreign-born, continuing the decline in immigrant population percentage due to restrictive quotas established in the 1920s. The age distribution revealed the baby boom’s dramatic impact: 16,196,536 children under age 5 (10.7 percent) represented the war babies born between 1945-1950, while 36,854,000 (24.4 percent) were aged 5-19, and 56,876,000 (37.6 percent) comprised the prime working-age population of 20-44. The median age of 30.2 years showed slight aging from 1940’s 29.0 years despite the baby boom. The labor force encompassed 62,208,000 workers (41.1 percent of total population), with 58,920,000 employed, representing a robust 94.7 percent employment rate that reflected post-war economic prosperity and near-full employment conditions.

Total Population Growth in the United States 1940-1950

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volume 1; Decennial Census Historical Population Data

The population growth in the United States between 1940 and 1950 represented a dramatic reversal from Depression-era stagnation, with the nation adding 19,656,523 residents during this transformative decade. This 14.5 percent increase from 131,669,275 in 1940 to 151,325,798 in 1950 marked the fastest growth rate since the 1920s, demonstrating the profound demographic impact of World War II’s conclusion, economic prosperity, and the beginning of the baby boom. The average annual growth of approximately 1,965,652 people (1.4 percent annually) represented a complete transformation from the Depression decade’s sluggish expansion.

The acceleration in growth becomes dramatically apparent when comparing consecutive decades. The 1930s added only 9,389,523 people at a meager 7.6 percent rate, reflecting economic hardship, delayed family formation, and minimal immigration. The 1940s saw growth surge by an additional 10,267,000 people and a 6.9 percentage point increase in the growth rate, driven by multiple factors including the post-war marriage boom, returning veterans starting families, improved economic conditions, rising birth rates, and declining infant mortality due to medical advances including antibiotics. The baby boom began in 1946 and by 1950 had already produced millions of children, fundamentally altering the nation’s age structure. This explosive growth pattern would continue and even intensify throughout the 1950s, with the 1950 population of 151,325,798 serving as the foundation for the most sustained population expansion in American history. The decade’s growth demonstrated how quickly demographic patterns could shift when economic prosperity, social stability, and cultural expectations aligned to encourage family formation and childbearing.

State Population Distribution in the United States 1950

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volume 1: Number of Inhabitants; State Population Reports

The state-by-state population distribution in 1950 revealed dramatic shifts in regional power and the beginning of major demographic realignments that would define late 20th-century America. New York maintained its position as the most populous state with 14,830,192 residents (9.8 percent of the total 151,325,798 US population), though its dominance was increasingly challenged. The most significant development was California’s emergence as the second-largest state with 10,586,223 inhabitants (7.0 percent), leapfrogging Pennsylvania through explosive 53.3 percent growth from 1940. This represented an addition of nearly 3.7 million residents in just ten years, driven by wartime defense industry expansion, post-war aerospace and technology development, agricultural opportunities, and the appeal of suburban lifestyle and favorable climate.

The growth patterns across states illustrated the great American migration toward the Sun Belt and industrial centers. Michigan grew 21.2 percent to 6,371,766 as the automotive industry boomed in the post-war consumer economy. Texas expanded 20.2 percent to 7,711,194, fueled by oil industry prosperity and expanding urban centers. Virginia surged 23.9 percent to 3,318,680, benefiting from federal government expansion and military installations. Meanwhile, Ohio gained 15.0 percent and New Jersey 16.2 percent, reflecting continuing industrial strength in the Manufacturing Belt. Traditional agricultural states showed more modest growth, with Kentucky adding only 3.5 percent and Missouri 4.5 percent, as mechanization reduced farm labor demands and drove rural-to-urban migration. The concentration of population showed the top ten states accounting for approximately 56 percent of the total population, while the remaining states comprised 44 percent. These 1950 state population patterns established trajectories that would accelerate through the century, with California eventually surpassing New York as the nation’s most populous state by 1964, and Sun Belt states continuing their ascendance at the expense of the traditional Rust Belt.

Urban and Rural Population Distribution in the United States 1950

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volume 1: Number of Inhabitants; Urban and Rural Classification; Housing Census Data

The urban-rural population distribution in 1950 documented an accelerating transformation of American settlement patterns, with the urban population reaching 96,847,000 individuals, comprising 64.0 percent of the total 151,325,798 residents. This represented a substantial increase from 1940’s 56.5 percent urban population, with cities and towns adding 19.5 percent more residents during the decade while rural areas grew by only 6.7 percent. The rural population of 54,478,798 (36.0 percent) masked divergent trends: the rural farm population plummeted 24.6 percent to 23,048,000 (15.2 percent of total), reflecting agricultural mechanization and declining need for farm labor, while the rural non-farm population surged 42.0 percent to 31,430,798 (20.8 percent), representing people living in countryside but working in nearby cities.

The 1950 census introduced the concept of “urbanized areas” to better capture metropolitan growth, identifying 69,249,000 people (45.8 percent of total population) living in densely settled regions around major cities. This new classification reflected the explosion of suburban development, with an estimated 24,900,000 people (16.5 percent) residing in suburbs, representing approximately 43.2 percent growth from 1940 levels. Large cities with populations exceeding 100,000 housed 45,323,000 residents (29.9 percent of total), growing 22.4 percent as returning veterans and migrant workers flocked to metropolitan employment opportunities. The suburban boom was enabled by multiple factors: the Federal Housing Administration and Veterans Administration mortgage programs that made homeownership accessible, the Interstate Highway System’s early development facilitating automobile commuting, mass-produced housing developments like Levittown offering affordable single-family homes, and the cultural appeal of suburban lifestyle combining urban proximity with residential space. These urban and suburban growth patterns in 1950 established the metropolitan structure that would dominate American geography for the rest of the century, fundamentally reshaping how Americans lived, worked, and organized their communities.

Racial and Ethnic Composition in the United States 1950

*Note: Hispanic origin counted within racial categories; Spanish surname data tracked only in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volume 2: Characteristics of the Population; Volume 4: Special Reports on Race

The racial and ethnic composition of the 1950 US population reflected both the continuation of historical patterns and the beginning of demographic shifts that would transform American society in subsequent decades. The overwhelming majority, 135,431,000 individuals (89.5 percent), were classified as White, representing diverse populations of European descent distributed across all regions. The Black population numbered 15,135,000 (10.0 percent), showing 17.6 percent growth from 1940, outpacing overall population growth as the Great Migration continued bringing African Americans from the rural South to industrial cities in the North, Midwest, and West Coast. By 1950, approximately 32 percent of the Black population lived outside the South, compared to just 23 percent in 1940.

The remaining racial categories comprised less than 0.5 percent of the total population of 151,325,798, but represented significant communities with distinct geographic and historical patterns. American Indians numbered 357,499 (0.24 percent), with 7.0 percent growth concentrated primarily in Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, and other western states. The Asian population showed diverse patterns: Japanese Americans totaled 141,768 (0.09 percent), rebounding from wartime incarceration with 11.7 percent growth but concentrated on the West Coast; Chinese Americans numbered 117,629 (0.08 percent), experiencing remarkable 51.8 percent growth as restrictive immigration laws began easing; and Filipino Americans reached 61,645 (0.04 percent) with 35.3 percent growth, primarily in California and Hawaii. The census tracked 2,281,710 people of Spanish surname (1.5 percent of total population) in five southwestern states (Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas), though they were counted within existing racial categories rather than as a separate ethnic classification. This represented an early attempt to measure the Hispanic population that would become increasingly important in future censuses. The foreign-born White population declined to 9,660,000, representing only 7.1 percent of the White population and continuing the downward trend from restrictive immigration quotas, though this would begin reversing with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.

Age Distribution in the United States 1950

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volume 2: Characteristics by Age; Historical Age Statistics

The age distribution of the 1950 US population vividly illustrated the beginning of the baby boom, with the most dramatic feature being the 16,196,536 children under age 5 (10.7 percent of the 151,325,798 total population), making it the largest five-year age cohort in American census history to that point. This represented babies born between 1945-1950, the first wave of the post-war baby boom that would continue through the mid-1960s. The median age of 30.2 years showed only slight aging from 1940’s 29.0 years, as massive births offset the aging of older cohorts. The youth presence was substantial, with those under 20 years totaling 51,000,536 (33.7 percent), demonstrating the demographic momentum that would drive school construction, suburban expansion, and consumer markets for decades.

The prime working-age population between 20 and 44 years constituted 56,876,000 people (37.6 percent), representing the core labor force driving post-war economic expansion, including World War II veterans and workers who had contributed to wartime production. Adults aged 45-64 years numbered 30,598,000 (20.2 percent), while the elderly population aged 65 and over totaled 12,400,000 (8.2 percent), showing modest growth from 1940’s 7.1 percent as life expectancy improved through medical advances including antibiotics, better nutrition, and improved public health. The age distribution demonstrated evolving gender patterns across life stages: young age groups showed rough balance between males and females, but women increasingly outnumbered men in older categories due to longer life expectancy and World War II casualties among younger males. Those aged 75 and over numbered 4,182,000, with 2,348,000 females versus 1,834,000 males, illustrating the widening gender gap in elderly survival. This 1950 age structure with its bulging youth cohorts would profoundly impact American institutions, with schools, housing markets, consumer industries, and eventually Social Security and Medicare shaped by the baby boom generation’s progression through life stages over the subsequent 75 years.

Labor Force and Employment Statistics in the United States 1950

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volume 2: Characteristics of the Population, Part 1; Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Data; Historical Statistics of the United States

The labor force and employment statistics for 1950 demonstrated the remarkable economic vitality of post-war America, with 62,208,000 workers comprising 41.1 percent of the total 151,325,798 population. The employment picture was exceptionally robust, with 58,920,000 people employed (94.7 percent of the labor force), leaving only 3,288,000 unemployed (5.3 percent), a rate that economists considered near full employment. This strong labor market reflected the successful transition from wartime to peacetime production, pent-up consumer demand, infrastructure investment, and the G.I. Bill’s role in temporarily reducing labor supply as veterans pursued education.

The gender composition of the workforce showed 43,820,000 males (70.4 percent of labor force) and 18,388,000 females (29.6 percent), representing 58.5 percent of adult males and 24.0 percent of adult females participating in the labor force. While women’s labor force participation had surged during World War II, many left industrial jobs after the war, though female employment remained substantially higher than pre-war levels, particularly in clerical, service, and professional sectors.

The occupational distribution revealed a rapidly modernizing economy. Manufacturing employed 15,241,000 workers (25.9 percent of the labor force), making it the largest sector and reflecting America’s dominant industrial capacity. Trade and commerce engaged 9,386,000 (15.9 percent), expanding with suburban shopping centers and consumer prosperity. Agricultural workers numbered 7,160,000 (12.2 percent), showing dramatic decline from 1940’s 17.4 percent as mechanization reduced farm labor needs. Clerical workers totaled 7,257,000 (12.3 percent), the fastest-growing category as businesses expanded administrative operations. Service sector employment reached 7,730,000 (13.1 percent), while professional and technical workers comprised 5,081,000 (8.6 percent), reflecting increased educational attainment and technological advancement. Government employment stood at 4,098,000 (7.0 percent), expanded from New Deal programs and Cold War defense needs. The construction industry employed 2,618,000 (4.4 percent), building the suburbs, highways, and infrastructure that would define post-war America. These employment patterns demonstrated the economy’s transition from agriculture to manufacturing and increasingly toward service and white-collar occupations.

Educational Attainment in the United States 1950

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volume 2: Education Characteristics; Office of Education Historical Statistics

The educational attainment statistics for 1950 revealed a dramatic transformation in American education, with 57.4 percent of adults aged 25 and older having completed high school, more than doubling from 1940’s 24.5 percent. This remarkable progress reflected multiple factors: the G.I. Bill enabling millions of veterans to pursue education, wartime technical training programs, post-war economic prosperity allowing families to keep children in school longer, and expanding public high school systems reaching rural and urban communities alike. The median years of schooling rose to 9.3 years, up from 1940’s 8.0 years, indicating substantial improvement across the entire educational spectrum.

The distribution showed 33,955,000 people (36.0 percent of adults 25+) had completed high school (22.6 percent) or attended some college (7.1 percent), while 4,840,000 (5.1 percent) held college degrees, representing 95.2 percent growth from 1940. The expansion of higher education was particularly dramatic, driven by the G.I. Bill which sent 7.8 million veterans to colleges and vocational schools between 1944-1956. Conversely, the proportion with minimal education declined sharply: those with no schooling dropped 45.2 percent to 3,210,000 (3.4 percent), while those completing only elementary grades 1-4 fell 28.5 percent. The concentration at 8th grade completion (21.0 percent) reflected an older generation when elementary school completion marked typical educational attainment. These educational gains positioned America to lead in scientific research, technological innovation, and economic productivity throughout the latter half of the 20th century, with the well-educated workforce becoming a crucial competitive advantage in the Cold War era.

Housing Characteristics in the United States 1950

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Housing, Volume 1: General Characteristics; Housing and Home Finance Agency Reports

The housing statistics for 1950 documented the explosive residential construction boom that accompanied post-war prosperity and suburban expansion. The nation counted 46,137,076 total dwelling units, representing 27.5 percent growth from 1940’s 36,189,000 units. Of these, 42,826,042 (92.8 percent) were occupied, housing the 151,325,798 total population at an average of 3.53 persons per household, down from 1940’s 3.67, reflecting smaller families and increased prosperity allowing more independent living arrangements. The vacancy rate of 7.2 percent included seasonal homes, units for rent or sale, and properties undergoing renovation.

The most significant transformation appeared in the homeownership rate, which reached 55.0 percent, up from 1940’s 43.6 percent. This dramatic shift, with 23,560,000 owner-occupied homes showing 51.1 percent growth, resulted directly from federal housing policies including FHA and VA mortgage programs that required minimal down payments, offered long-term financing, and made homeownership financially accessible to middle-class families. Single-family detached homes comprised 60.0 percent of the housing stock with 38.7 percent growth, while renter-occupied units grew more modestly at 12.8 percent to 19,266,042. Remarkably, 8,750,000 housing units (19.0 percent of total stock) had been constructed between 1945-1950, illustrating the construction industry’s frantic pace to meet pent-up wartime demand.

Housing quality showed substantial improvement. Units with running water increased 42.3 percent to 36,458,000 (79.0 percent of total), while those with private bathrooms reached 34,921,000 (75.7 percent), up 56.8 percent from 1940. Nearly all homes (93.9 percent) had electricity, and central heating spread to 47.5 percent of units, showing 89.2 percent growth as modern conveniences became standard. The median home value of $7,354 (equivalent to approximately $92,000 in 2025 dollars) had increased 73.6 percent from 1940, while median monthly rent of $42 (about $525 in 2025 dollars) rose 61.5 percent, reflecting both inflation and improved housing quality. These housing patterns established the residential infrastructure that would shape American life for generations, with suburban single-family homeownership becoming the dominant ideal and dramatically influencing transportation, retail, education, and community organization.

Major Metropolitan Areas in the United States 1950

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 1950 Census of Population, Volume 1: Metropolitan Districts; Urbanized Areas Reports

The major metropolitan areas in 1950 demonstrated both the continuing dominance of traditional industrial centers and the emergence of new Sun Belt metropolises. The New York metropolitan area remained America’s undisputed population giant with 12,911,994 residents, though its composition had shifted dramatically with 7,891,957 in New York City proper and 5,020,037 in surrounding suburbs, marking the acceleration of suburbanization. Chicago ranked second with 5,495,364, maintaining its position as the Midwest’s commercial and transportation hub, while Los Angeles surged to third place with 4,367,911, driven by aerospace, entertainment, and oil industries, with suburbs (2,397,553) already exceeding the central city (1,970,358).

The top fifteen metropolitan areas housed approximately 45 million people, representing nearly 30 percent of the total US population of 151,325,798. Traditional manufacturing centers dominated the rankings: Philadelphia (3.7 million), Detroit (3.0 million), Pittsburgh (2.2 million), and Cleveland (1.5 million) reflected continued industrial strength. Boston (2.6 million) and San Francisco-Oakland (2.2 million) combined commercial, educational, and port functions. Notably, Washington, DC (1.5 million) had grown substantially due to federal government expansion during the New Deal and World War II.

The metropolitan data revealed accelerating suburbanization patterns: in Boston, suburbs comprised 69 percent of the metropolitan population; in Pittsburgh, 69 percent; and in Los Angeles, 55 percent. Even in newer cities, suburban growth outpaced central city expansion. This metropolitan concentration continued trends that would define 20th-century America, with major cities serving as economic engines while increasingly diverse suburban communities housed growing shares of the middle class, facilitated by automobile ownership, highway construction, and federal housing policies that made suburban homeownership the achievable American Dream for millions of families.

The 1950 US population of 151,325,798 captured America at a pivotal historical moment—the transition from wartime sacrifice to unprecedented peacetime prosperity. This census documented not merely demographic statistics, but the foundations of modern American society: the baby boom generation whose 16.2 million youngest members would shape national priorities for three-quarters of a century; the suburban revolution that redefined residential patterns and community life; the Great Migration that continued reshaping regional racial demographics; and the educational transformation that positioned America for technological and economic leadership.

The explosive 14.5 percent population growth from 1940, the surge to 64 percent urbanization, the rise to 55 percent homeownership, and the doubling of high school graduation rates to 57.4 percent illustrated interconnected transformations. Federal policies—particularly the G.I. Bill, FHA/VA mortgage programs, and infrastructure investment—amplified these trends, creating opportunities that built the American middle class. The data revealed a nation confidently embracing its future, with young families establishing homes, veterans pursuing education and careers, and cities and suburbs expanding to accommodate growth.

Yet the 1950 census also documented persistent inequalities and limitations. Racial categories reflected the segregation and discrimination of the era, with the 10 percent Black population concentrated in the South and facing systemic barriers despite their 17.6 percent growth and continued northward migration. Women’s 29.6 percent labor force participation, while historically high, masked workplace discrimination and limited career opportunities. The 6.8 percent foreign-born population remained depressed by restrictive immigration laws, though this would begin changing with the 1965 Immigration Act.

The 1950 US population statistics provide essential context for understanding how post-war America became the world’s dominant economic and military power, developed its distinctive suburban culture, and established demographic patterns whose consequences—from Social Security challenges to infrastructure needs to educational priorities—continue resonating today. Released to researchers in 2022 after 72 years of confidentiality, these records now serve genealogists tracing family histories, historians analyzing mid-century society, demographers studying long-term trends, and anyone seeking to understand the foundational decade that shaped contemporary America. The 1950 census stands as both a snapshot of transformation and a baseline for measuring the profound changes that would follow in subsequent decades.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

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