10 



20 



30 



40 50 



PERCENT tNCREASE 



60 



70 



80 



90 



Figure 1. 

 Percent increase in population in the New England states from 1910 to 1950. 



The number of people involved in a percentage measure of increase or 

 decrease is greater in states with larger populations. There is considerable 

 variation in the number of residents of the New England States. The 8.7 

 percent increase in Massachusetts from 1940 to 1950, for example, would 

 mean a much greater absolute increase than the 8.5 percent increase in New 

 Hampshire. To indicate the relative size of these neighboring New England 

 States, Table 3 gives population numbers in 1910 and 1950. Massachusetts 

 has the largest population, followed by Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, 

 New Hampshire, and Vermont. 



Table 3. Population of New England States — 1910 and 1950 



Comparison with United States 



The population of New Hampshire is a small part of the United States 

 total. In 1900 it was half of one percent. Increases in other parts of the 

 United States at rates greater than in New Hampshire reduced this proportion 

 still further, until by 1950 it was one third of one percent of the United 

 States (Table 4 and Figure 2). 



