Census Sees 300 Million by 2007, Takes a Look Back

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that our nation’s total population will exceed 300 million persons by the later part of 2006. To help mark the occasion, the Bureau offers some interesting comparisons of life in the United States today with life in 1915, when the population reached 100 million, and in 1967, at the 200 million mark. A few highlights include:

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 gasoline

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)

A first-class postage stamp

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

The current world population is 6.5 billion, compared to 3.5 billion in 1967 and 1.8 billion in 1915.

Also see:
U.S. Foreign-Born Population Hits 33 Million
Number of "Majority-Minority" States Grows
Still More Boys Than Girls Being Born