U.S. Population Density (1790-2010) - Westward Expansion

The animated map of population density, made using Jonathan Schroeder's county-level decadal estimates. Populations for intermediate years was interpolated by cubic splines to log-density; essentially, that means that it assumes a smooth change in the rate of growth for each county over time.
Westward Expansion summary: The story of the United States has always been one of westward expansion, beginning along the East Coast and continuing, often by leaps and bounds, until it reached the Pacific-what Theodore Roosevelt described as "the great leap Westward." The acquisition of Hawaii and Alaska, though not usually included in discussions of Americans expanding their nation westward, continued the practices established under the principle of Manifest Destiny.
____________________
Links:
Subscribe: bit.ly/2Zqk1DK
Facebook: / racingstats
Twitter: / statisticsrace
Credits: VividMaps
Data: Creatingdata.us
#USA #DataIsBeautiful #WestwardExpansion

[@Meyers1793]

This is really interesting. A couple things I would add to make the map more useful and readable: 1. State outlines 2. A few majors cities, maybe just for a few years after they've been established, like Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago, Etc. 3. A few major rivers, settlement often followed rivers 4. More gradients of population density. 90/sq mile might have been a significant measure in the 1790s, but not anymore. For instance, Cayuga County in Upstate New York has a population density of 110/sq mile, while New York County (AKA Manhattan) has a population density of 75,000/sq mile, but they both show as the same colour on this map. It has the effect of flattening the differences between high and low density areas and hides how urbanized the US really is.

[@Orange_Pear]

I disagree

[@FalconDoesntKnowWeather]

INDIGENOUS PEOPLEs

[@joeredfield979]

imagine how the population growth of the solar system would look like in a thousand years from now.

[@strikefg]

"Hey remember when we only lived on one planet haha"

[@AWCTB]

Would be very hard to safely inhabit some places especially if humanity doesn’t collapse.

[@stuffedbunnychess]

@@AWCTB It would be harder if we collapsed

[@user-cmcumm]

Population growth in most countries will stop till the end of 21 century, it even stopped in most developed countries already and we have Asia and Africa to go USA's population growing only because of migrants from all world

[@davidz3879]

None of the other planets in our solar system are inhabitable.

[@terryhale9006]

Wonderful! Would be nice to see a similar time map for each segment of the population: Indigenous Americans, Irish, British, Polish, African Americans, Italians, etc.

[@EonServoXA]

For indigenous Americans, it would be super depressing to watch as it would just slowly decrease, unless you include Native-American Latinos

[@terryhale9006]

@@EonServoXA Depressing but educational.

[@SometimesItsAlex]

No one kept track of native populations or African slaves because they weren’t seen as people. The other categories might be possible but not sure what the point would be.

[@MondoMiami]

Yes, because we all must be labeled, tribalized and victimized at every turn.

[@KygoCalvinHarris-xu4kv]

​@@SometimesItsAlexthey were counted dummy And more slaves in Brazil and middle eastern countries at the time

[@jonathanmillner]

It should probably be pointed out that this is merely a population of US census included population. There were millions of natives in the west during some of this history, but record keeping their population density wasn't exactly a practice they participated in at that time.

[@donquixote3927]

Yes, difficult to show when, they would have outnumbered settlers for a couple of hundred years after 1492, in spite of the diseases.

[@kidkique]

Don't forget the black people... slaves were not counted and the census for most of us history and when they were begun to be included they only counted as half a person. So without the natives and the slaves you pretty much just have a map of white population density

[@-Subtle-]

It should also be pointed out at the end, this is where people live and this is where people vote. When we say "Dirt Doesn't Vote" those goofy red or blue maps are a drastic misrepresentation of how America votes. It's even more misrepresenting because the last 2 presidential elections: "Did not vote" won.

[@tyket5929]

You people just can’t resist can you

[@jonathanmillner]

@@kidkique yep, also totally true!

[@tescomealdeals4613]

why is no one talking about Florida, it went from literally no one at the turn of the century, to literally all dark by the end of the century.

[@X1GenKaneShiroX]

Comparison of Florida and New York population and population density. Florida land area - 53,997 square miles New York land area - 47,224 square miles Florida demographics 1830: 34,730 people Density is 0.64 PPSM 1920: 968,470 people Density is 17.94 PPSM 2021: 21,837,568 people Density is 404.42 PPSM New York demographics 1830: 1,918,608 people Density is 40.63 PPSM 1920: 10,385,227 people Density is 219.91 PPSM 2021: 20,174,987 people Density is 427.22 PPSM

[@TrainsFerriesFeet]

The invention of air conditioning.

[@ztoxtube]

Disney is what happened there.

[@ShadowDragon-cw7wb]

AC, Spaceflight, Disney, mass immigration, C19

[@jmundi2002]

It wasn’t part of the US at that time…

[@thecitizenoftheinternet1077]

This map was actually kinda satisfying to watch. Especially at 2x speed.

[@senecakw]

Would have been helpful to show state borders and major cities. The map is much harder to understand without them.

[@scotty3114]

Imagine if the indigenous people were also counted.

[@sandeegrey5977]

They lost, we won. Who cares

[@Ussonan-Foderation2016]

​@@sandeegrey5977indigenous people

[@epicow_1973]

​@@sandeegrey5977american people aswell

[@livewire2759]

It wouldn't really make much difference on a presentation like this. The west was very sparsely populated by natives, so the lowest density here (0-2/sq mi) is fairly accurate. The only place you'd see it make a difference is in Oklahoma, which was "indian territory" for about 100 years or so... that's why it stayed lightly colored while Kansas above and Texas below were filling in. Had the natives been counted in the US census', it would have filled in about the same, but still slower as the native population there didn't grow as fast as the official US population at the time.

[@livewire2759]

@@iBRiDGE380 They were still living in the stone age hundreds of years after the majority of the world had advanced well beyond that. Yes, many were treated very badly, but in the end, they're actually better off now than they would have been otherwise. Yes, those that live on reservations are considered "poor" by modern standards, but the fact is, they're still a lot less "poor" than they were before the Europeans showed up. Yes, many were killed over the few hundred years of European expansion, but there was no "genocide"... around 1/4 of the current US population has some native "blood" in their genes, which which means there has been a significant INCREASE in their population in the time since the European expansion. Given the choice, the vast majority of natives today would choose, and have chosen, to live a modern life with modern amenities, and the ones that haven't, don't give the slightest shit about some random white person crying for them.

[@TheDevinWilliamsChannel]

Please make a new one including the 2020 data. I really love this video. Thank you.

[@Mastermind111111]

Yeah you would see the California to Texas migration

[@LoganNagol]

0:35 We never really hear about how Louisiana basically developed independently from the rest of the United States. Like the US pretty much is just expanding outward from the colonies except for one isolated population that is developing a thousand miles away.

[@LoliPolice-bf7mw]

The massive German population growth in the Midwest from 1805-1930 was amazing to see

[@chrismoule7242]

As a Englishmen, I find it fascinating to see the map in 1861/64. The Civil War really WAS between the North & the South.

[@BillHosko]

Tremendous work. Thank you.

[@RacingStatistics]

Thank you

[@KygoCalvinHarris-xu4kv]

Show population in millions per year

[@lifewithbicybic4529]

If you look closely you'll notice after the 1920s how small rural areas are shrinking while big cities are growing

[@SometimesItsAlex]

You forgot about all of the people who were living here already.

[@Brandon_J]

It's not like they kept records. This isn't possible to show.

[@mwittmann68]

They couldn't even write

[@livewire2759]

The smallest population represented here is 0-2 per sq mi... which is actually pretty accurate for the amount of natives living there at that time. Of course, this is based on US census reports, which obviously weren't reporting native populations that weren't US citizens.

[@MatinAmerica]

What an incredible story it is. The common man can own land and live on his own, providing for his own without control of a ruling class. That's a human spirit ideal, not just American, to be free of any tyranny. What if we didn't need the government? Not all was good, but the idea of individuals working to provide on their own, for their own, is great.

[@MrRoyboythepwn]

Yeah we’ll no one can afford land anymore

[@centralheterochromia9713]

An agrarian society like that is one of Thomas Jefferson’s ideals I believe

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

It helps when you're militarily stronger than the First Nations whose land you're stealing...

[@h0eera.115]

Then we would go back to subsistence farming, like Sub-saharan Africa...

[@milin7120]

All fake n stolen 🤢🤢 literally none of y'all r native just Europe immigrants invaders

[@jaytaro808]

exactly what i was curious of. thanks!

[@bruceaii3664]

And now we've Manifest Destiny'd our way into every corner of the globe. Bringing freedom everywhere we go.

[@RacingStatistics]

"Bringing freedom" is a strong and debatable phrase..

[@bob494949]

But no freedom in America, now. Wear your mask, your work is closed, stay home. Oh and your vote is stolen in plain sight.

[@bruceaii3664]

@@bob494949 What a difference a year makes

[@kirilll7806]

@@bob494949 wearing mask is necessary.

[@Fissan_Poulsen]

@@kirilll7806 And now we know it wasn't.

[@Foebane72]

2010: There are still several small areas of the Western half of the US completely unoccupied.

[@dogebread9814]

the outline around Oklahoma lol

[@unrealisticfiction4182]

timestamp 1:57

[@livewire2759]

Oklahoma was "indian territory" for a long time, meaning the US govt. never did any census taking there until it was granted statehood well after the surrounding states. When the dots suddenly show up around OK city and Tulsa is when it became a state.

[@stevegolacks8731]

South Florida would have been a great buy in 1900

[@huihui1842]

明らかに日本よりも可住地割合が大きいよな😳😳😳

[@robertshonk518]

1860-1890: Hey natives, Oklahoma is all yours! 1890s: On second thought...

[@bikashshah5361]

USA IS BIG AND STRONG I wish I would Born there I will be that Country President

[@bikashshah5361]

@balerina rockarolla You are right

[@EonServoXA]

You wouldn’t want to be a president. Not only is it very hard to even have the opportunity to run, when you get elected you have the responsibility of 360M people on your back and your name will be in everyone’s dinner conversation. Also, whenever you become president, you’ve basically lost your freedom because secret service has to monitor you 24/7 and you’re not allowed to drive even when you’re out of office

[@lexrio]

We really said 🏃‍♂️⬅️ then freedom

[@ponraul1221]

RIP the American Frontier 1776 - 1912

[@thunderbird1921]

Alaska still exists pal.

[@EonServoXA]

You still have Wyoming

[@Matthew_Carlton]

Very fascinating! What software did you use to make this? I want to try making an animated county map like this but am not sure where to start.

[@ScottLee-xw8vm]

That's the same thing I'm wondering

[@dachicagoan8185]

You can see how the rural midwest stopped growing and they all went westward.

[@Zeroneii3]

is this accounted for inflation?

[@Zeroneii3]

@anthonykelley4044 just making a joke lmao

[@EmperorDionx]

Country is basically looking how its always gonna look by 1914

[@evog35viii]

That infestation though

[@OrganMusicYT]

In 1846, England did not sign the Oregon Treaty, the United Kingdom did - the United Kingdom is not England.

[@chaotic.taco14]

so like why dosent the usa flip upside down because of the pressure on one side

[@RacingStatistics]

Good question

[@nnlark]

best viewed at 1.75x like the original gif

[@porainessemundao]

É verdade que em um futuro bem próximo, cidades na zona equatorial passarão a ser inabitáveis por causa das mudanças climáticas? Isso dá para reverter ainda ou já é uma realidade?

[@MATT-qu7pl]

What's that first city west of the Appalachian mountains? Lexington?

[@MikeTheGoat_2442]

Love it!

[@anthonyg7933]

Nice to know my area was the darkest color right out of the gate.

[@dandoyle4519]

Looks like a slow cancer death. It spreads real slow. It takes over before you know it. There's nothing left

[@PANZERFAUST90]

There's no such thing as a Mormon. Mormon was a person.

[@KartovOndulevitch]

Seems than the top 3 last empty spaces were Idaho (bronze), Montana (silver) and Nevada (gold). I would have bet on Arizona or Dakota (I'm not american)

[@elihochberg752]

So why are there some colors like GREEN that isn't in the key???? Please fix this for next time.

[@livewire2759]

LOL That's an optical illusion... like when you stare at a light, then look into the dark and you still see the shape of the light. When your eyes do that with different shades of the same color, it can make it look like there are different colors sometimes.

[@alfonsomartin6502]

Ishould add the spanish population was already there before.

[@gogo-vq4vr]

sooo.they were no citizens in CA until 1850?

[@Ussonan-Foderation2016]

San Antonio casually being dense for a long time

[@xtopia9758]

amazing 😉 video

[@valentia1752]

This music is way too positive for a colonization model

[@itsglen9646]

I think there's an overcount in North Carolina, and undercount in Virginia.

[@northwolf]

The population in North Carolina is fairly evenly distributed (and NC is the 9th most populous state in the nation, with 10.3 million people). So there are a lot of counties with the highest density (darkest red) of 90+ people per square mile. I've lived in NC my whole life, and can attest to this. The central part of the state (from Charlotte to Greensboro and Winston-Salem and then over to Raleigh) is all heavily populated. There aren't that many counties with a very low population, and those are mainly near the coast, and a few of the western-most mountain counties.

[@bobadelman7580]

Are you suggesting there were no native Americans in 1790?

[@EonServoXA]

There were obviously a lot, but there is very little information and records on population for natives at the time

[@ddduva4440]

How about since 2020 and the Pandemic?

[@xo9103]

lets pretend natives never existed!

[@EonServoXA]

Do you know how hard it is to keep population records of indigenous tribes? Especially in the 1700s

[@repsxvault]

The guy in California or Nevada in 1846

[@nightcitydrive534]

Nice

[@PatrickHogan]

Ummm, there were people living in all of those places already

[@livewire2759]

Ummm, this is based on the US census... they didn't count people that they didn't know about at the time. Besides, the lowest density on the scale is 0-2/sq mi... 2 people per square mile is actually quite high for the native population at the time.

[@michaelchmar8724]

CA, TX, NV and CO rank low in Densely populated

[@rbwirth12]

Looks like cancer cells spreading.

[@coreymartin5185]

Cavalry not Calvary

[@gogo-vq4vr]

and how about before 1790? lets say 1400?

[@SQUAREHEADSAM1912]

In 1400 there was only natives.

[@principalmcvicker6530]

Natives: 😑

[@chinglioteca]

☑ Interpolated census data to pad runtime ☑ Video game loading screen music ☑ Lol what Natives? ☑ American exceptionalism ☐ Conestoga pixel art

[@bobbarclay316]

The highest part of the country and the nuts roll down hill each way. Works with people too I guess.

[@dofelf3845]

more like centralward expansion!

[@joancarlesjordacamarasa5234]

Daniel BOOM explota.

[@danielroldan-johnson7465]

What about the native peoples?!?!

[@waragque]

There are very few of them compared to Europeans or Africans.

[@tylerkriesel8590]

There weren’t that many of them.

[@corvoide]

The Spanish settlements inexistant?

[@BoDAssassin]

It’s only counts US settlements

[@TheChristianDino1]

It looks like a pizza in the thumbnail

[@Freddeh111]

So you don't consider the first nations as American? Try to forget how many millions of people there was spreaded throughout north America before the Europeans "discovered it". Because I'm sure this map only considers the migration of Europeans expanding towards the west. Not to mention, pushing the already existing population out of their homes and further much worst. I just look at this map as the expansion of greed and self interest.

[@skeemarty]

id like to see the native American decline and genocide over the years

[@mklinger23]

Is this just Europeans?

[@jackwood594]

Ye

[@EonServoXA]

no, any US citizens

[@Lucky.Man.Altimori]

Too many white plane surfaces perhaps desert or 100,000 acres ranch farms

[@RacingStatistics]

The data doesn't include native Americans, only colonists

[@Lucky.Man.Altimori]

@@RacingStatistics I was talking about Y2K onwards....😑😏☺

[@sahilwarwal2095]

Who are ancestors of modern Americans?

[@soberman1520]

Some ape

[@what6893]

The British, Africans, Irish, Mexicans... The list goes on and on.

[@EonServoXA]

Modern Americans can be any race. If you mean white people, then it was immigrants all throughout Europe, but mostly English, Scottish, Irish, and Italians

[@mwittmann68]

The plague is spreading

[@barcelonaingenieria5172]

FANTASTIIIC ! NOW NEED ONE OF MEXICO ! USA in the 21 century should add the norht of Mexico otherwise its people going to pay a lot for having a house .....as no land cheap on sale...

[@EonServoXA]

We don’t need another Mex-American War

[@joebloggs396]

Western colonisation.

[@marvintpandroid2213]

"invader population density"

[@Barry_be_hatin]

natives sucked at warfare... should of fought harder for "your" land. sucks to suck

[@waragque]

"Indigenous of the Americas" are also invaders actually. It's just replacing bad invaders with good ones.

[@tobsstone]

Spreading like a disease.

[@HenzlxRwastaken]

Ohio😂