ratio was defined as the number of people under 15 and over 65 divided 

 by the people 20-64, the product multiplied by 1000. It was possible to 

 compute this statistic for 1930 as well as 1940 and 1950, yielding the 

 results shown in Table 5. 



Table 5. Abstract of Dependency Data from Table 4. 



Dependency Ratio Dependency Ratio 

 Year Increasing Towns Decreasing Towns 



1930 

 1910 

 1950 



Again earlier data are borne out, that on gross population data the 

 towns have been becoming more similar with respect to population char- 

 acteristics. Both follow generally similar trends, yet approach one another 

 at the same time. 



It also seems to indicate, as do preceding population measures, that in 

 New England population analysis is more meaningful by area than by 

 residence category. In other parts of the United States having different 

 patterns of land use it might not be as true. 



Population Density 



The fact that these small towns had not developed in size beyond their 

 current population in spite of a long history of settlement suggests that 

 the availability of resources is about the same in each sample; that some 

 were being over-exploited, economically, while others were not exploited. 

 If this were the case, then one should expect that the differences in average 

 population density would decrease with time. In 1940 the population density 

 (number of persons per square mile) of the decreasing towns ranged from 

 2.8 to 271.0 with the mean at 37.1. At the same time the density of the 

 increasing towns varied from 5.8 to 42.8 with the mean at 26.8 (t = .39; 



p =r .70). 



By 1950 the corresponding population ranges and densities were 2.3 to 

 291.5 with the mean at 37.4 for the decreasing towns and 6.2 to 50.3, 

 mean ^ 30.8, for the increasing towns ( t = .23 ) . During the period 1940- 

 1950, the towns did become more alike in this respect. The population 

 densities for 1930 and 1920 were computed and the results are summarized 

 in Table 6. 



It is apparent from Table 6 that the trend has been toward a minimizing 

 of the difference in population density since 1920. This trend does not 

 demonstrate the same consistency that some of the others do, but the di- 

 rection of the trend is obvious. 



Table 6. Average Population Density 



Year Increasing Towns Decreasing Towns Difference 



1920 

 1930 

 1940 

 1950 



12 



