United States of America Population Pyramid 1972

United States of America
1972
Population: 212,842,572

Year

-5 -1   1972  +1 +5

Country

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
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United States of America in 1972

The population of the United States of America in 1972 was 212,842,572. Over the previous ten years the population grew by 14.0%, up from 186,724,273 in 1962.

The median age was 28.0 years, and for every 100 people of working age (15–64) there were 43.6 children under 15 and 15.8 people aged 65 or over. The near-vertical sides of the pyramid indicate a stationary age structure, with births roughly balancing the passage of cohorts into older age.

The bulge of cohorts born between 1946 and 1964 — the post-war baby boom — is the defining feature of the United States pyramid, visible as it moves up the age scale over the decades.

Share of the population by age group, 1950–2100

Data source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2024 revision (medium variant) — last updated July 2024.

Population
212,842,572
Median age
28.0
0-14 %
27.4%
65+ %
9.9%
Child dependency
43.6
Old-age dependency
15.8
Pyramid shape
Population 2050
380,846,910
Population 2100
421,278,890
Births per woman
Total fertility rate, 1960–2023
1234
1960Replacement level (2.1)2023 · 1.62

The fertility rate of the United States of America was 1.62 births per woman in 2023, under the 2.1 needed to replace each generation.

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.

Life expectancy at birth
Years, 1960–2023
Total Women Men
60708090
19602023 · 78.4

Life expectancy at birth was 78.4 years in 2023: 81.1 for women and 75.8 for men.

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.

People supported per 100 workers
Dependency ratios, 1950–2100
Children Older adults
15304560
19502100
Where immigrants come from (2024)

48,855,624 immigrants live in United States of America, 14.1% of the population.

Mexico11,279,561
India3,165,238
China2,488,775
Philippines2,263,697
Puerto Rico1,924,799
Where emigrants live (2024)

3,168,477 people born in United States of America live in other countries.

Mexico823,502
Canada256,571
United Kingdom243,570
Germany152,501
Puerto Rico144,149
Explore
Immigration statistics Origin of migrant stocks map

Source: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024.

Country Population Median age Relative size
United States of America 212,842,573 28.0
Canada 22,230,881 26.6
What was the population of the United States of America in 1972?
In 1972, the United States of America's population was 212,842,572.
Is the population of the United States of America increasing or decreasing?
The United States of America's population grew 14.0% over the previous ten years, and is projected to reach 380,846,910 by 2050.
What is the median age in the United States of America?
The United States of America's median age is 28.0 years.
How many children and older people live in the United States of America?
9.9% of the United States of America's population is 65 or older, and 27.4% is under 15.
What shape is the United States of America's population pyramid, and what does it mean?
The United States of America's pyramid is stationary — similar-sized cohorts through the younger ages, the signature of near-replacement fertility.

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