Three Hundred Million Americans

The 300 millionth American was born in October 2006

by the U.S. Census Bureau

Who was the 300 millionth American? Related Links Year Page: 2006 Year Page: 1967 Year Page: 1915 Life Expectancy by Age, 1850–2003 Women in the Labor Force, 1900–2004 Popular Kids' Names, 1900-today U.S. Letter Rates Since the Civil War Cost of Living Index for Selected U.S. Cities Median Value for All Owner-Occupied Housing Units

The United States’s population reached 300 million on October 17, 2006, according to projections by the Census Bureau. To help spotlight this occasion, the Census Bureau steps back in time by comparing contemporary life and statistics to those in the time periods in which the nation reached other noteworthy population milestones in 1967 (when the population reached 200 million) and in the year 1915 (when it reached 100 million).

President

2006: George W. Bush
1967: Lyndon B. Johnson
1915: Woodrow Wilson

Price of a new home

2006: $290,600
1967: $24,600 ($149,147 in 2006 dollars)
1915: $3,200 ($64,158 in 2006 dollars)

Cost for a gallon of regular gas

2006: $3.04 (as of Aug. 7)
1967: 33 cents ($2.00 in 2006 dollars)
1915: 25 cents ($5.01 in 2006 dollars)

Price of milk

2006: $3.00 gallon
1967: $1.03 gallon ($6.24 in 2006 dollars)
1915: $ .36 gallon ($7.22 in 2006 dollars)

Cost of a first-class stamp

2006: 39 cents
1967: 5 cents
1915: 2 cents

Notable Events

2006: The 20th Winter Olympic Games take place in Turin, Italy.

1967: Dr. Christiaan Bernard performs the first heart transplant; the first Super Bowl is played.

1915: World War I continues in Europe.

Pop Culture

2006: iPods and "American Idol" reign supreme and cell phones are the rage.

1967: Color TV is the rage. "The Lucy Show," "Andy Griffith" and "Gomer Pyle" are the top-rated television shows.

1915: The "Model T" and silent movies are the rage. Raggedy Ann, aspirin in tablet form and processed cheese are introduced. The milk carton is invented.

World Population

2006: 6.5 billion
1967: 3.5 billion
1915: 1.8 billion

Tying the Knot

Median age at first marriage for men and women, respectively.
2006: 27.1 and 25.8
1967: 23.1 and 20.6
1915: 25.1 and 21.6

Coming to America

2006: 34.3 million
Number of foreign-born people. They comprise 12% of the total population. Mexico is the leading country of origin.

1967: 9.7 million
Number of foreign-born people. They comprised 5% of the total population. Italy was the leading country of origin.

1915: 13.5 million
Number of foreign-born people. They comprised 15% of the total population. Germany was the leading country of origin. Data pertain to 1910.

From Desert Outpost to Major Metropolis

The growth of Phoenix symbolizes the nation’s movement South and West.
2006: 1.5 million
Population of Phoenix, making it the sixth most populous city. Data pertain to 2005.

1967: 439,170
Population of Phoenix, making it the 29th most populous city. Data pertain to 1960.

1915: 11,134
Population of Phoenix. It was not among the 100 most populous cities. Data pertain to 1910.

The Rise of the Sunshine State

Since 1915, Florida has been transformed from almost an afterthought to our nation’s fourth most populous state.
2006: 17.8 million
1967: 6.2 million
1915: 923 thousand

Our Incredible Shrinking Households

Average household size.
2006: 2.6 people
1967: 3.3 people
1915: 4.5 people

Tuberculosis

Death rate from this disease per 100,000 population.
2006: 0.2
1967: 3.5
1915: 140.1

Homeownership . . . the American Dream

Percentage of the nation’s householders who owned the home in which they lived.
2006: 68.9%
1967: 63.6%
1915: 45.9%

Our Aging Nation

Number of people age 65 and older.
2006: 36.8 million
1967: 19.1 million
1915: 4.5 million

Median Age of the Population

2006: 36.2
1967: 29.5
1915: 24.1

Living Longer

Life expectancy at birth.
2006: 77.8 years
1967: 70.5 years
1915: 54.5 years

Working Women

Percentage of women in the labor force, age 16 and older (10 and older for 1915).
2006: 59%
1967: 41%
1915: 23%

Education

Percentage of the population, age 25 and older, who had at least a high school diploma.
2006: 85.2%
1967: 51.1%
1915: 13.5%

Earnings

2006: $33,459 and $22,472
Median wage and salary income for male and female wage and salary workers, respectively.

1967: $5,974 and $2,295 ($33,787 and $12,980 in 2004 dollars)
Median wage and salary income for male and female wage and salary workers, respectively.

1915: $687 (Constant dollar figure not available.)
Average annual earnings for workers (excluding farm labor).

Names

The most popular baby names for boys and girls, respectively.
2006: Jacob and Emily
1967: Michael and Lisa
1915: John and Mary

Our Love Affair with the Motor Vehicle

Number of motor vehicle registrations.
2006: 237.2 million
1967: 98.9 million
1915: 2.5 million

Safer on our Roads

2006: 42,643
Number of traffic fatalities in 2003. This amounted to 1.5 fatalities per every 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

1967: 51,559
Number of traffic fatalities. This amounted to 5 fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles of travel.

1915: 6,779
Number of traffic fatalities. This amounted to 35 fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles of travel.

The Military

Active-duty military personnel.
2006: 1.4
1967: 3.4 million
1915: 174 thousand

Down on the Farm

Number of farms.
2006: 2.1 million
1967: 3.2 million
1915: 6.5 million

• More from U.S. Statistics