Farm population of the United States: 1972. Current population reports by Bureau of the Census and Economic Development Division
Anonymous
Series, Economic Research Service (Census ERS,P-27 44): 11pp
1973
Document Number: 328619
In the annual Census-ERS report on the US farm population, the estimate of 9.6 million people living on farms in rural areas in 1972 represents an increase of 185,000 over 1971. However, the report cautions that this 'increase is not statistically significant and should not be interpreted as a reversal in the long-term/downward trend in the number of farm residents'. Also, the proportion of the total population that was living on farms in 1972 remained at 4.6 per cent., the same as in 1971. Since 1960, when the farm population stood at 15.6 million, the farm sector has declined by six million, or almost two-fifths. Between 1960 and 1972, the rate of loss in the total farm population averaged 4.1 per cent. annually. Evidence of persistent, high rates of outmigration from the farm population of young adults is reflected in the age structure. The farm population continues to have more males than females. In 1972, there were 108 farm men for every 100 farm women. In the non-farm population, by contrast, there were only 92 men for each 100 women. Despite heavy population losses, the rate of labour force participation in the farm population has remained essentially unchanged since 1960. In 1972, as in earlier years, about three-fifths of all farm residents 14 years of age and over were in the labour force, either working or seeking work. Since 1960, the proportion of the farm-resident labour force employed solely or primarily in agriculture has declined from 64 to 53 per cent. During this same period, the percentage of farm residents employed in non-agricultural industries increased from 33 to 45 per cent. This was more apt to be the case in the South than in the combined North and West regions of the United States.