THE POPULATION OF COLORADO 
By JoHN BURTON PHILLIPS 
Colorado was organized as a territory February 28, 1861. In the 
summer of 1860 preceding, the census had been taken by United States 
enumerators and, for the district which was given a territorial organiza- 
tion at the above date, showed a population of 34,277 souls. On 
August 1, 1876, the territory was admitted as a state. In the following 
pages some observations are made on the variations of the population 
since 1860 as to age, sex, nativity, and occupation. 
INCREASE 
POPULATION OF COLORADO AT CENSUS YEARS AND PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE* 
Year Population Percentage of Increase 
BOG eer cimjal ni eglte s None reported 
TOOOM atte terse ms or 34,277 aia 
DS 7Ov cfetfa sels aa 39,864 16.5 
EO SO cicts Seka erates 194,327 387.5 
EOOOnio schon aa eee 412,198 TRIM Et 
TOOOerctos wlare stertyey ys 539,700 80.7 
* Census, 1900, Population, Pt. I, p. xxiii. 
This table shows that the greatest increase in the population of Colo- 
rado occurred in 1859 and 1860 and again in the decade from 1870 to 
1880. This is explained by the mining activity at these times. The 
percentage of increase fell greatly after 1890, due to the severe depression 
which characterized the earlier years of that decade. 
AGE 
PERCENTAGE OF BREADWINNERS IN POPULATION OF ALL AGES* 
1870 1880 1890 1900 
WnitediStates*= eee eeaaeeie 32.4 34.7 27.2 38.3 
North Atlantic Division........ 33-34 36.6 40.2 40.8 
South Atlantic Division........ 34.1 bie B70 38.3 
North Central Division........ 30.0 32.4 34.9 36.4 
South Central Division........ 32.6 33-9 3525 37.0 
Nyesteme Division). 2 aseismic 41.6 42.8 44.3 41.6 
Colorados sce via nce shot enianine 44.1 oe 46.7 40.4 
* Census, 1900, Supplementary Analysis, p. 458. 
197 
