1960 United States census

The 1960 United States Census

The 1960 United States census was a big count of everyone living in the United States. It happened in 1960, and the Census Bureau did the counting. They found that 179,323,175 people lived in the country. This was 19 percent more than the count from the 1950 census.

This census was very important. It helped decide how many votes each state would have in the next two presidential elections, in 1964 and 1968.

It was also special because, for the first time ever, every state had more than 200,000 people. New York had the most people living there. Some cities, like Detroit, saw big changes in their populations.

What People Were Asked

The census asked people for basic information like their address, name, and age. About a quarter of the households got a longer form with more questions. You can learn more about the forms used from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.

Looking at the Data

You can see data from the 1960 census for free through the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. You can also download aggregate data for smaller places and electronic boundary files from the National Historical Geographic Information System. Personal information from the census will become available in 2032.

Top States in 1960

Here are the top five states with the most people in 1960:

1. New York – 16,782,304 people
2. California – 15,717,204 people
3. Pennsylvania – 11,319,366 people
4. Illinois – 10,081,158 people
5. Ohio – 9,706,397 people

Top Cities in 1960

The biggest cities in the United States in 1960 were:

1. New York – 7,781,984 people
2. Chicago – 3,550,404 people
3. Los Angeles – 2,479,015 people
4. Philadelphia – 2,002,512 people
5. Detroit – 1,670,144 people

The census helps us understand how the country was growing and changing back then. It’s a snapshot of where people lived and how many there were in each place.