THE CENSUS: California, Here They Come

Westward the course of empire takes its way.

—George Berkeley (1726)

Westward a lot of U.S. families have been taking their ways, according to a Census Bureau report issued last week. During the years 1950-58, while the total U.S. population was increasing 15%, the population of the Western states soared 29%, paced by lonely Nevada's dizzying 70% (to 272,000) and wide-open-spaced Arizona's 57% (to 1.2 million). California, having overtaken Pennsylvania back in 1950 to become the U.S.'s second most populous state, grew another 35% in 1950-58, from 10.6 million to 14.3 million. Over the same span, New York's population increased only 10%, from 14.8 million to 16.3 million. In 1964, if the growth rates of the 19505 keep up, California will edge New York out of the No. 1 rank it has held since 1820.

While the West was growing 29% in population, the Central states registered a just-average 15%, the South lagged behind the national average with 13.5%, and the East lagged even further with just under 10%. Four states actually shrank in population during 1950-58: Arkansas, 8%; West Virginia, 2%; Vermont. 1.5%; Mississippi, 1%. Most striking exceptions to the slowish growth patterns of the East and South: Delaware's population expanded no less than 40% (rapid industrial growth drew in a lot of newcomers), Florida's a boom-sized 63%.