Population Center of the USA

According to the 2010 Census, the new center of population of the USA is a point 2.9 miles east of Plato, Missouri (population 109).

This is the spot where there are just as many people north as south, and as many people east as west.

In 2000, the center of population was a point 2.8 miles east of Edgar Springs, Missouri (population 190), some 23 miles northeast of Plato.

The USA center of population has been steadily moving west and south since it was first introduced in 1790 where it was then pinpointed 23 miles east of Baltimore.

Over the years, it has been located in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.

Based on the last 10 years, the center of population has been traveling at a speed of 3.4176 miles per year or about two feet per hour.

This is slightly faster than the U.S. Congress moves when in session.

The west-southwest drift of the center of population is no great surprise.

In 1950, Phoenix had a population of about 40,000. Today, It’s well over a million.

California had a population of 10 million in 1950. In 2000, it reached 35 million.

During those forty years, the population of California increased by approximately 1,370 people per day.

That’s a lot of Ryder trucks heading one-way.

If this west-southwest drift of the USA population center continues on its present course, in a few years it should hit Tulsa, Oklahoma, about the same time gasoline hits $99 per gallon.

By the way, the exact Center of the Universe at any given moment is wherever I'm standing at the time.
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Quote for the Day -- "Unless we do things in this country to slow down our population, slow down our birth control, provide better water for people, provide power for people, we're gonna find out that the next wars are not going to be fought over diamonds, gold and political things." Evel Knievel.
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Bret Burquest, author of four novels, has recently published THE REALITY OF THE ILLUSION OF REALITY (esoteric knowledge) and 1111 HAPPY TRAILS ROAD (humor) -- available on Amazon. He lives in the Ozark Mountains with a dog named Buddy Lee and the ghost of Davy Crockett.
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