The 1950 United States census , conducted by the Census Bureau , determined the resident population of the United States to be 151,325,798, an increase of 14.5 percent over the 131,669,275 persons enumerated during the 1940 census .[ 1]
This was the first census in which:
More than one state recorded a population of over 10 million
Every state and territory recorded a population of over 100,000
All 100 largest cities recorded populations of over 100,000
On April 1, 2022, the National Archives and Records Administration released scanned census enumeration sheets to the general public, in accordance with the 72 year rule.[ 2]
Census questions
The 1950 census collected the following information from all respondents:[ 3]
address
whether house is on a farm
name
relationship to head of household
race
sex
age
marital status
birthplace
if foreign born, whether naturalized
employment status
hours worked in week
occupation, industry and class of worker
In addition, a sample of individuals were asked additional questions covering income, marital history, fertility, and other topics. Full documentation on the 1950 census, including census forms and a procedural history, is available from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series .
Data availability
File:Keypunch operator 1950 census IBM 016.jpg A clerk creating punch cards containing data from the census.
Microdata from the 1950 census are freely available through the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series . Aggregate data for small areas, together with electronic boundary files, can be downloaded from the National Historical Geographic Information System . All identifiable information in the census became available in April 2022 upon the release of the images taken by the National Archives and Records Administration.[ 4]
On April 1, 2022, 72 years after the census was taken, the National Archives and Records Administration released scanned census enumeration sheets to the general public.[ 2] The census data was also made freely searchable by name on other websites.[ 5] Genealogy companies Ancestry and FamilySearch partnered to use AI and human volunteers to review an index of all names listed on the 1950 census forms.
State rankings
File:1950 US Census Map.png A map showing the population change of each US State by percentage.
Rank
State
Population as of 1950 census
Population as of 1940 census
Change
Percent change
1
File:Flag of New York.svg New York
14,830,192
13,479,142
1,351,050 Increase
10.0% Increase
2
File:Flag of California.svg California
10,586,223
6,907,387
3,678,836 Increase
53.3% Increase
3
File:Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania
10,498,012
9,900,180
597,832 Increase
6.0% Increase
4
File:Flag of Illinois (1915-1969).svg Illinois
8,712,176
7,897,241
814,935 Increase
10.3% Increase
5
File:Flag of Ohio.svg Ohio
7,946,627
6,907,612
1,039,015 Increase
15.0% Increase
6
File:Flag of Texas.svg Texas
7,711,194
6,414,824
1,296,370 Increase
20.2% Increase
7
File:Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan
6,371,766
5,256,106
1,115,660 Increase
21.2% Increase
8
File:Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey
4,835,329
4,160,165
675,164 Increase
16.2% Increase
9
File:Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts
4,690,514
4,316,721
373,793 Increase
8.7% Increase
10
File:Flag of North Carolina (1885–1991).svg North Carolina
4,061,929
3,571,623
490,306 Increase
13.7% Increase
11
File:Flag of Missouri.svg Missouri
3,954,653
3,784,664
169,989 Increase
4.5% Increase
12
File:Flag of Indiana.svg Indiana
3,934,224
3,427,796
506,428 Increase
14.8% Increase
13
File:Flag of the State of Georgia (1920–1956).svg Georgia
3,444,578
3,123,723
320,855 Increase
10.3% Increase
14
File:Flag of Wisconsin (1913–1981).svg Wisconsin
3,434,575
3,137,587
296,988 Increase
9.5% Increase
15
File:Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia
3,318,680
2,677,773
640,907 Increase
23.9% Increase
16
File:Flag of Tennessee.svg Tennessee
3,291,718
2,915,841
375,877 Increase
12.9% Increase
17
File:Flag of Alabama.svg Alabama
3,061,743
2,832,961
228,782 Increase
8.1% Increase
18
File:Flag of Minnesota (1893–1957).svg Minnesota
2,982,483
2,792,300
190,183 Increase
6.8% Increase
19
File:Flag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky
2,944,806
2,845,627
99,179 Increase
3.5% Increase
20
File:Flag of Florida (1900-1985).svg Florida
2,771,305
1,897,414
873,891 Increase
46.1% Increase
21
File:Flag of Louisiana.svg Louisiana
2,683,516
2,363,516
320,000 Increase
13.5% Increase
22
File:Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa
2,621,073
2,538,268
82,805 Increase
3.3% Increase
23
File:Flag of Washington (1923–1967).png Washington
2,378,963
1,736,191
642,772 Increase
37.0% Increase
24
File:Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland
2,343,001
1,821,244
521,757 Increase
28.6% Increase
25
File:Flag of Oklahoma (1941–1988).svg Oklahoma
2,233,351
2,336,434
−103,083 Decrease
−4.4% Decrease
26
File:Flag of Mississippi (1894-1996).png Mississippi
2,178,914
2,183,796
−4,882 Decrease
−0.2% Decrease
27
File:Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina
2,117,027
1,899,804
217,223 Increase
11.4% Increase
28
File:Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut
2,007,280
1,709,242
298,038 Increase
17.4% Increase
29
File:Flag of West Virginia.svg West Virginia
2,005,552
1,901,974
103,578 Increase
5.4% Increase
30
File:Flag of Arkansas.svg Arkansas
1,909,511
1,949,387
−39,876 Decrease
−2.0% Decrease
31
File:Flag of Kansas (1927-1961).svg Kansas
1,905,299
1,801,028
104,271 Increase
5.8% Increase
32
File:Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon
1,521,341
1,089,684
431,657 Increase
39.6% Increase
33
File:Flag of Nebraska.svg Nebraska
1,325,510
1,315,834
9,676 Increase
0.7% Increase
34
File:Flag of Colorado (1911–1964).svg Colorado
1,325,089
1,123,296
201,793 Increase
18.0% Increase
35
File:Flag of Maine.svg Maine
913,774
847,226
66,548 Increase
7.9% Increase
—
File:Flag of Washington, D.C.svg District of Columbia
802,178
663,091
139,087 Increase
21.0% Increase
36
File:Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island
791,896
713,346
78,550 Increase
11.0% Increase
37
File:Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona
749,587
499,261
250,326 Increase
50.1% Increase
38
File:Flag of Utah (1913–1922).png Utah
688,862
550,310
138,552 Increase
25.2% Increase
39
File:Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico
681,187
531,818
149,369 Increase
28.1% Increase
40
File:Flag of South Dakota (1909-1963).svg South Dakota
652,740
642,961
9,779 Increase
1.5% Increase
41
File:Flag of North Dakota.svg North Dakota
619,636
641,935
−22,299 Decrease
−3.5% Decrease
42
File:Flag of Montana (1905-1981).svg Montana
591,024
559,456
31,568 Increase
5.6% Increase
43
File:Flag of Idaho.svg Idaho
588,637
524,873
63,764 Increase
12.1% Increase
44
File:Flag of New Hampshire.svg New Hampshire
533,242
491,524
41,718 Increase
8.5% Increase
—
File:Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii
499,794
422,770
77,024 Increase
18.2% Increase
45
File:Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont
377,747
359,231
18,516 Increase
5.2% Increase
46
File:Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware
318,085
266,505
51,580 Increase
19.4% Increase
47
File:Flag of Wyoming.svg Wyoming
290,529
250,742
39,787 Increase
15.9% Increase
48
File:Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada
160,083
110,247
49,836 Increase
45.2% Increase
—
File:Flag of Alaska.svg Alaska
128,643
72,524
56,119 Increase
77.4% Increase
—
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
151,325,798
132,164,569
19,161,229 Increase
14.5% Increase
City rankings
Rank
City
State
Population[ 6]
Region (2016) [ 7]
01
New York
New York
7,891,957
Northeast
02
Chicago
Illinois
3,620,962
Midwest
03
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
2,071,605
Northeast
04
Los Angeles
California
1,970,358
West
05
Detroit
Michigan
1,849,568
Midwest
06
Baltimore
Maryland
949,708
South
07
Cleveland
Ohio
914,808
Midwest
08
St. Louis
Missouri
856,796
Midwest
09
Washington
District of Columbia
802,178
South
10
Boston
Massachusetts
801,444
Northeast
11
San Francisco
California
775,357
West
12
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
676,806
Northeast
13
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
637,392
Midwest
14
Houston
Texas
596,163
South
15
Buffalo
New York
580,132
Northeast
16
New Orleans
Louisiana
570,445
South
17
Minneapolis
Minnesota
521,718
Midwest
18
Cincinnati
Ohio
503,998
Midwest
19
Seattle
Washington
467,591
West
20
Kansas City
Missouri
456,622
Midwest
21
Newark
New Jersey
438,776
Northeast
22
Dallas
Texas
434,462
South
23
Indianapolis
Indiana
427,173
Midwest
24
Denver
Colorado
415,786
West
25
San Antonio
Texas
408,442
South
26
Memphis
Tennessee
396,000
South
27
Oakland
California
384,575
West
28
Columbus
Ohio
375,901
Midwest
29
Portland
Oregon
373,628
West
30
Louisville
Kentucky
369,129
South
31
San Diego
California
334,387
West
32
Rochester
New York
332,488
Northeast
33
Atlanta
Georgia
331,314
South
34
Birmingham
Alabama
326,037
South
35
Saint Paul
Minnesota
311,349
Midwest
36
Toledo
Ohio
303,616
Midwest
37
Jersey City
New Jersey
299,017
Northeast
38
Fort Worth
Texas
278,778
South
39
Akron
Ohio
274,605
Midwest
40
Omaha
Nebraska
251,117
Midwest
41
Long Beach
California
250,767
West
42
Miami
Florida
249,276
South
43
Providence
Rhode Island
248,674
Northeast
44
Dayton
Ohio
243,872
Midwest
45
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
243,504
South
46
Richmond
Virginia
230,310
South
47
Syracuse
New York
220,583
Northeast
48
Norfolk
Virginia
213,513
South
49
Jacksonville
Florida
204,517
South
50
Worcester
Massachusetts
203,486
Northeast
51
Tulsa
Oklahoma
182,740
South
52
Salt Lake City
Utah
182,121
West
53
Des Moines
Iowa
177,965
Midwest
54
Hartford
Connecticut
177,397
Northeast
55
Grand Rapids
Michigan
176,515
Midwest
56
Nashville
Tennessee
174,307
South
57
Youngstown
Ohio
168,330
Midwest
58
Wichita
Kansas
168,279
Midwest
59
New Haven
Connecticut
164,443
Northeast
60
Flint
Michigan
163,143
Midwest
61
Springfield
Massachusetts
162,399
Northeast
62
Spokane
Washington
161,721
West
63
Bridgeport
Connecticut
158,709
Northeast
64
Yonkers
New York
152,798
Northeast
65
Tacoma
Washington
143,673
West
66
Paterson
New Jersey
139,336
Northeast
67
Sacramento
California
137,572
West
68
Arlington
Virginia
135,449
South
69
Albany
New York
134,995
Northeast
70
Charlotte
North Carolina
134,042
South
71
Gary
Indiana
133,911
Midwest
72
Fort Wayne
Indiana
133,607
Midwest
73
Austin
Texas
132,459
South
74
Chattanooga
Tennessee
131,041
South
75
Erie
Pennsylvania
130,803
Northeast
76
El Paso
Texas
130,485
South
77
Kansas City
Kansas
129,553
Midwest
78
Mobile
Alabama
129,009
South
79
Evansville
Indiana
128,636
Midwest
80
Trenton
New Jersey
128,009
Northeast
81
Shreveport
Louisiana
127,206
South
82
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
125,629
South
83
Scranton
Pennsylvania
125,536
Northeast
84
Knoxville
Tennessee
124,769
South
85
Tampa
Florida
124,681
South
86
Camden
New Jersey
124,555
Northeast
87
Cambridge
Massachusetts
120,740
Northeast
88
Savannah
Georgia
119,638
South
89
Canton
Ohio
116,912
Midwest
90
South Bend
Indiana
115,911
Midwest
91
Berkeley
California
113,805
West
92
Elizabeth
New Jersey
112,817
Northeast
93
Fall River
Massachusetts
111,963
Northeast
94
Peoria
Illinois
111,856
Midwest
95
Wilmington
Delaware
110,356
South
96
Reading
Pennsylvania
109,320
Northeast
97
New Bedford
Massachusetts
109,189
Northeast
98
Corpus Christi
Texas
108,287
South
99
Phoenix
Arizona
106,818
West
100
Allentown
Pennsylvania
106,756
Northeast
Locations of 50 most populous cities
Location of 50 largest cities by population in the United States in 1950
References
↑ "Population and Area (Historical Censuses)" (PDF) . United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 24, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2008 .
↑ 2.0 2.1 "1950 Census on Track for 2022 Release, Despite Pandemic" . National Archives and Records Administration. April 30, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2022 .
↑ "Library Bibliography Bulletin 88, New York State Census Records, 1790–1925" . New York State Library . October 1981. p. 45. Retrieved December 15, 2008 .
↑ "The "72-Year Rule" – History" . United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 26, 2015 .
↑ "Free 1950 Census Search" . Historic Journals LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2022 .
↑ Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990 , United States Census Bureau, 1998
↑ "Regions and Divisions" . United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 3, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2016 .
External links