B. A LOOK AT MICHIGAN PEOPLE MICHIGAN HAS A TREMENDOUSLY INCREASED AND GROWING POPULATION, ABOUT EIGHT MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN MICHIGAN. A MEANINGFUL FAMILY PORTRAIT WOULD REQUIRE MUCH MORE THAN SOME STATISTICS. THREE GENERATION FAMILY INTO SEPARATE UNITS BEARS AS STRONGLY UPON CON SIDERATION OF THE HEALTH OF OLDER PERSONS AS DOES A POPULATION COUNT. REMEMBERED THAT GROSS POPULATION STATISTICS BECOME MOST MEANINGFUL ONLY WHEN RELATED TO THE BASIC WAY OF LIFE. ACCOMPANYING CHARTS SHOW: POPULATION HAS TRIPLED SINCE 1900. MICHIGAN HAS HAD THE GREATEST POPULATION INCREASE IN NORTH-CENTRAL U.S. TWENTY-ONE OF MICHIGAN'S 83 COUNTIES - IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SOUTHERN PENINSULA AND NORTHERN PENINSULA -- SHOWED A POPULATION LOSS 1957 POPULATION TRIPLES THAT OF 1900 Source: Bureau of Census. Data for 1900-1950 are federal census counts. Estimate for 1957 was released December 9, 1957. Projected figure for 1960 was released August 9, 1957, in Population Reports, Series P25, No. 160. This projected figure (Series 1) was based on a combination of assumptions regarding future fertility, migration and mortality. Statistical Methods Section Michigan Department of Health II PERCENT OF CHANGE IN TOTAL POPULATION OF STATES: 1950 TO 1957 Michigan highest per cent increase in North Central Region N. H. (+7.2) R. I. (+8.8) -N. J. (+ 16.4) UCHIOVN Statistical Methods Section 0.0 and over SOURCE OF DATA: CURRENT POPULATION REPORT SERIES P-25, NO. 168 RELEASED BY BUREAU OF CENSUS AS OF DECEMBER 9, 1957. III The distribution of Michigan's population is very uneven, with 91% residing in the lower part of the Lower Peninsula. This large portion of the population is concentrated in thirty-eight of the eighty-three counties of the State. The remaining 9% are almost equally divided 31 between the Upper Peninsula and the upper part of the Lower Peninsula. Since 1900 the trend in each of these sections has been a proportionately decreasing one, while the lower part of the Lower Peninsula has gradually increased proportionately. The increase since 1930 in the lower part of the Lower Peninsula was almost entirely due to the increase in the metropolitan areas, since the non-metropolitan areas have remained approximately the same. It is to be remembered that the trend of an area may be decreasing percentage wise yet increasing number wise. This relationship is illustrated in a comparison of Charts IV and V. Note: Letters and numbers on map indicate economic areas, metropolitan and non-metropolitan, respectively, as used by the U. S. Bureau of Census. The numbered areas (non-metropolitan) and lettered areas (metropolitan) are mutually exclusive. Statistical Methods Section Michigan Department of Health 43350 0-60-pt. 6- -15 THE NUMBER OF PERSONS 45 AND OVER IN MICHIGAN IS ON IN 1957 - HOW MANY 45 AND OVER: MICHIGAN HAD 2,082,000 PEOPLE 45 AND OVER OVER ONE-FOURTH OF THE TOTAL POPULATION. THIS IS LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE (26.7 PER CENT OF TOTAL POPULATION, COMPARED WITH 29.3 PER CENT NATIONALLY), BUT IS AN INCREASE OF 18 PER CENT SINCE 1950. PERSONS 45-64: 1,514,486 - 19.4 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, LESS THAN THE ESTIMATE OF 20.5 PER CENT IN THIS GROUP FOR THE NATION. COMPARED WITH ESTIMATED 8.8 PER CENT PERSONS THIS AGE IN THE NATION. LIFE EXPECTANCY: LIFESPAN HAS LENGTHENED FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN WITH WOMEN MAKING BY FAR THE MOST DRAMATIC GAIN. INCREASE 65 AND OVER: MICHIGAN'S POPULATION AGE 65 AND OVER HAS INCREASED BY AN ESTIMATED 23 PER CENT SINCE 1950. ONLY SIX COUNTIES HAVE HAD AN ESTIMATED CECREASE IN PERSONS OVER 65 SINCE 1950. INCREASES HAVE BEEN RECORDED IN LARGE METROPOLITAN CENTERS AND IN THINLY POPULATED AREAS (APPENDIX C). |